Eternal Frontier
by KholdstareV
Summary: Samus embarks on a high-stakes mission that will test not only her skills, but her spirituality and faith. And much, much, MUCH to her dismay, she will not be working alone...
1. Prologue

NOTE: This story is largely independent from the storyline of the Metroid series, and is more of a dramatic character study than an action-packed adventure. I suppose that suits us Metroid fans just fine though, since we tend to like slower-paced entertainment that's more about using the mind than anything else. :P

Also, the religious elements in this story don't necessarily reflect the views of the author (me!) and are not meant to offend or spark controversy. This story is all fictional and is only for enjoyment. Thank you!

* * *

**Eternal Frontier**

**By KholdstareV**

_Space, the eternal frontier..._

_There are homes within colonies,  
colonies within nations,  
nations within planets,  
planets within spatial regions,  
and spatial regions within the universe._

_That is where the cycle ends. All that is, was, and ever will be exists within the boundless reaches of space. It's hard to believe, nigh impossible to understand, and yet it is the truth. Some question whether or not the universe can even be. After all, if everything that is, was, and ever will be exists within the universe, what about the universe itself? Quite a paradox, isn't it?_

_Indeed, a space so immense has literally endless amounts of worlds and spoils just waiting to be discovered. The eternal frontier... no matter how far we go in (or out?), there is always more ahead. As such, sometimes the only thing more difficult than finding a new world is simply recalling where worlds are that you have been to in the past._

_Urrth...  
It is a place I've been before. Of course, because it was where I was born. The year 2003, I remember that much. When I was still young, however, I was taken away from my home, which had been sieged by destruction and chaos. The Chozo, those friendly, enlightened beings that spirited me away to their beautiful homeworld... How far through the void of space did they take me? I'd have no hope of knowing. I can only guess it was a very, very long way. When I inquire about Urrth to the people I live amongst, they either return a blank stare, or claim to have heard the name before. But that's all...  
Yes, the only ones who know of Urrth know it only by name. To them, it is no more than that. A word. A hollow word with less meaning than Chevy Chase's talk show...  
Hmm... Chevy Chase... Where have I heard that name before? An Urrth memory, perhaps? Maybe. I don't know who he is, except that he has a stupid talk show..._

_But I digress. To me, Urrth is home. A home. A home at one time...  
And yet now, there is so much space between us that it may as well not even exist to me anymore.  
Where could it be now?  
...Only God knows..._

_Hmm... 'God'... Why do my memories of Urrth remind me of that word? Is it a name? Obviously, but why would he know where Urrth was? Maybe he's a man like Chevy Chase? I sure hope he doesn't have a stupid talk show, too..._

_I digress again.  
Urrth, wherever it may be, it may as well be just a planet...  
Just a name...  
A land which lies in the wake of my journey through the eternal frontier..._

_..._

_.._

_._


	2. Part 1

"MALIK, GET OVER HERE!!"

Samus Aran, intergalactic Bounty Hunter, was calling for backup. It was something she never thought she'd have to do, but she found herself doing it anyway. She had her back pressed against a wall, and just around the corner next to her was a group of six Space Pirates. Their guns rang out and echoed in the hallway of the Space Pirate vessel. The red laser trails whizzed by at blinding speed. Samus had her Arm Cannon prepped and ready for combat. She wanted so badly to jump out and begin firing into the crowd, but she needed to wait for her backup, not really because she needed it, but because she knew she would get in trouble with the Federation if she left him alone in the dangerous spacecraft. He would be rolling in anytime now...

"Yo Samus, I'm here! I'm here! Whatcha need me ta do?" Malik called out as he approached Samus.  
"Malik, finally! What took you?"  
"Well hey, honey! My wheels ain't movin' so fast as yo legs!"  
"Never mind, it's fine. Are you hurt?"  
"Had a few o' dose Space Pirates firin' at me a couple minutes ago, but I don't think I got hit none."  
"Good. Now listen, do you know where Dusty is?"  
"Naw, Samus! He shoulda been here by now, shouldn't he?"  
"Ugh, yes! Where is he, for goodness sake?!"  
"Want me to call him on the walkie-talkie?"  
"Yes! Please do that while I hold off the Pirates a bit longer..."  
"No problem, lemme just-"

Malik stopped talking when he actually pulled his walkie-talkie out. There was a gaping laser hole right through the middle of it. "What in the name o' mercy?! When da hell did DAT happen?!"  
Samus fired a few shots down the corridor and went back around the corner. She gazed through her visor at the walkie-talkie and groaned. "What?! Malik, what happened?!"  
"Uhh... by da look of it, I'd say it got shot..."

"Oh, great! We have no communications to the outside, and we're being completely overrun! Where the heck is Dusty!?"  
"Yo Samus, you ain't got a walkie-talkie on ya?"  
"I've got a helmet cell phone, but there's no reception in here!"

At that point, the band of Space Pirates was beginning to advance. Samus knew it was time to retreat and start heading back to space deck. All they could do was head there now and wait for their escape to arrive. The pilot wasn't the most dependable guy in the world, though... They would have to hold out as best they could and just hope to make it out of there.  
"Malik, back to the space deck! Let's hurry!" Samus ordered. She began to run down the hall, aiming back and preparing to fire at the Space Pirates when they rounded the corner.  
Malik began to cruise along, but not nearly as fast as Samus was running. "Yo, Samus! Hold up! I ain't so fast as you!"  
"Malik! Turn on your fuel guzzler!"  
"Wha-?! Naw! I only use that in the 'Mergencies..."  
"Malik, look behind you!"  
Malik turned his head, and saw four Space Pirate with miniature missile launchers aimed right at him. Right when he saw this, his eyes grew wide.  
"Uh-oh... 'MERGENCY!!"  
With that, he pressed a button located on his left buttcheek, and a jet of blue flame fired out from the pipes at his wheels. He began to zoom down the hallway faster than a laser shot, leaving the Space Pirates dazed and confused.

As Malik sped past Samus, he grabbed her and threw her onto his back. "Need a hand gettin' out, lil' lady?"  
Samus moaned. "Thanks, but I don't really think you needed to..."  
She was cut off when Malik did a sharp turn around a corner, and proceeded to race down a red-lit corridor that led directly to the space deck...

Upon reaching the space deck, Malik turned off his fuel guzzler and came to a stop. A rather disgruntled Samus dismounted his back. She ran out onto the deck and peered far out into the star-glazed space for any sign of her Gunship. She hated leaving it in the care of a goofball like Dusty, but she had no choice.  
Where was he, though?!

"Samus, ya see 'im yet?!" Malik called out, rolling over to her side.  
"No, not yet! Oh... the Space Pirates'll be approaching our position soon! He needs to get here befor- Hey, where's Victoria?!"

Samus and Malik looked around the space deck for any sign of their comrade Victoria, who had been instructed to stay on deck, but she was nowhere to be seen. They both grew tense with worry.  
"Aw, NO! Ya think she got kidnappered by da Pirates?!"  
"I doubt it. If they saw her here, they would just kill her. She must've gone inside without us knowing... That's not what I instructed her to do!"  
"Samus, what're we gonna do when Dusty gets here?! We can't just up and leave widout Victoria! Heck, I wouldn't leave widout her anyway!"  
"I understand that, Malik, but I've never fought aboard a Space Pirate legion this hostile before! Whatever it is their hiding here, it really must be-"  
At that moment, the growl of a Space Pirate rang out through the door. They would be on the deck soon, and with nowhere to run, Samus and Malik would have to fend them off as long as they could.  
...However, a glimmer of hope came at that moment as well. Samus spotted the unmistakable sight of her Gunship off in the distance, clumsily making its way towards the space vessel. VERY clumsily. Samus hoped Dusty would even be able to land it without blowing out half the spacecraft. She sighed to herself. Why, oh why, did she give HIM the job of piloting the ship?

And there was still Victoria to worry about. Where had she gone? Did she know that Dusty was on his way to help them escape? Was she on her way to the space deck already from wherever she was? Or was she still within the depths of the Pirate vessel?  
The Space Pirates' roars interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh, it'll take Dusty forever to get here anyway," Samus deduced. "We'd better flush Victoria out of there."  
"Well, alright Samus. But don't ya think one of us should stay out heah ta wait for Dusty?"  
"I was thinking that. Will you be OK out here on your own?"  
"Me?! Umm... well... OK. Yeah, I figger I'll be alright."  
"Good. If Dusty gets here before Victoria and I come out, tell him to wait for us." Without wasting another second, Samus sprinted back towards the door leading to the ship's interior.  
"Yes ma'am!" Malik called back, pulling out his safety pistol.

Almost immediately after re-entering, Samus was confronted by four Space Pirates with Grenade Launchers. Samus would have loved to blow them all into oblivion, the filth that those Space Pirates were... However, she had a job to do. She quickly switched into Morph Ball mode and boosted right through their legs. Just for the heck of it, though, she dropped a few bombs at their feet to make them dance a bit. Immediately thereafter, she turned a corner and was off again.

This particular vessel wasn't especially big or confusing, so Victoria shouldn't be too hard to find. Remaining in Morph Ball mode, she continued to zoom her way down the corridors, dodging legions of Space Pirates as they fired upon her mercilessly. She took a few hits, but she knew better than most that she was a tough woman. Victoria, on the other hand, was probably in serious trouble, being as petite and passive as she was. Samus was more concerned about getting Victoria out than herself.

At last, Samus reached the end of the line - a research room housing rows of computers and stasis tanks. It was here Samus found what she was hoping to find, and yet also what she wasn't hoping to find...  
In a corner of the room was Victoria, surrounding by a horde of perhaps ten Space Pirates. She had her pistol armed and aimed forward, but she was shaking so badly she couldn't aim it straight. As the hissing crowd around her drew closer, she began to lose focus. Every second she would target another Pirate, not sure which one to fire at, for she knew that firing once only meant certain death for her.

Staying a fair distance away, Samus went back into Bipedal mode to observe the scene. As Victoria's situation grew more and more desperate, an idea suddenly flashed in Samus' head. What better way to deal with a crowd of Space Pirates than...  
ICE SPREADER!? :D  
Samus began to charge up her Ice Beam. It would only take a few seconds to prepare for her attack, but she wondered if even that was enough time...The sound of Victoria's pistol going off and the ensuing screech of the Space Pirate crowd prompted Samus to act fast.  
"Victoria!" she yelled, "Get down!"

Victoria appeared to be in a world of relief when she heard Samus's voice, and she quickly ducked down. All the Space Pirates looked in Samus's direction, only to see the blast of the Ice Spreader come flying in their faces! The blast immobilized them all in a coat of thick ice, and Samus, like the markswoman she was, picked off every single one with her Missiles, shattering them to bits. Oh, how she loved doing that!

When Victoria realized the danger around her was gone, she ran over the cold, shattered remains of the Pirates and up to Samus.  
"Thanks Samus..." was all she managed to say.  
"You're welcome. Care to explain what you were doing in here in the first place? Your orders were to stay out on deck!"  
"I know, I remember. But... Samus, I found something that I think will be really helpful to our mission!"  
"The mission's FAILED, Victoria! We found nothing on this vessel that's anything like what the Federation described to us. We're leaving now!"  
"What?! But... but then why-?"  
"We'll talk about it later, but right now we have to leave. Dusty's on his way, so follow me and don't get separated!"  
Victoria looked down somewhat shamefully. "...Yes, Samus."  
Samus just nodded and proceeded to run back through the hall. Victoria followed closely behind.

Samus and Victoria managed to fight their way out of the interior of the Space Pirate vessel and out onto the docking bay. They were greeted to the sight of Malik trying to finish off a lone Space Pirate with his safety pistol while wheeling around in attempt to dodge the lasers. Samus merely equipped her Plasma Beam and fried the beastly thing. Malik stared at the Space Pirate's ashes, then Samus's Arm Cannon, then his own pistol. He shook his head. "Man, I needs ta get me one o' dose. What mail catalog you get that from, Samus?"  
Samus didn't answer. She was gawking at the sight of her Gunship flailing around in the space above the deck like it was in the control of a drunken monkey. It flipped and turned around as though not sure which direction it wanted to face when it landed.

Suddenly, a stupid sounding scream rang from within,  
_"GGGGGGGYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!"  
_The ship then suddenly crashed down onto the deck with a huge CRASH!!, threatening to break the entire vessel in two.  
A few seconds later, the thrusters reverted to proper landing position.  
Samus and Victoria quickly climbed up to the hatch and dropped into the ship. Malik used his strong arms to pull himself up onto the roof and up into the hatch a minute later. At last, they were all safe.

And yet, they had failed their mission...

Two days before, the Galactic Federation claimed to have received an anonymous broadcast message from an unknown location. It had said that something called 'The Seed' was aboard the Orpheon Space Pirate vessel. None of the Federation staff had any idea what this was, nor what it could mean if it was in the hands of the Space Pirates. Fearing it could be some weapon of mass destruction, they vowed to find a way to remove it from Space Pirate possession.  
Samus Aran, being the most fearless and respected Bounty Hunter of her class, was assigned the task. Samus readily agreed. However, she received news not long after that was a bit unsettling to her - she would not be going alone. She would become part of a four person unit, and all four of them were going to have to go at the job together. For one who had always preferred to work alone, the thought of having to work with others, let alone get along with them, bothered Samus quite profoundly. For one reason or another, she knew almost right away that things weren't going to go well.  
Turns out she was right. Her first mission working with others, also turned out to be the first mission of hers to ever end in failure.  
Yup, teamwork sucks...

* * *

Now safe aboard Samus's Gunship, Samus, Victoria, and Malik all took a moment to take a breather. For a legion of Space Pirates that seemingly had nothing to hide, they sure acted like they did. This WAS the Orpheon Space Pirate vessel that the Galactic Federation had ordered them to infiltrate in search of 'The Seed'... wasn't it?  
No... something was wrong. The GF had made some mistake, some miscalculation. This mission shouldn't have ended the way it did...

"Yo Victoria, where were you, girl?" Malik asked in a worried tone. "I was skeered maybe you been a'ducted!"  
"Thanks Malik..." was all she said.  
"Aw, iss alright! You know we'd o' never left widout you!"  
"Of course not," Samus remarked, looking at Victoria. "Now if you don't mind... Victoria, I need to talk to you. Go into the berth room. I'll be there in a second."  
Victoria nodded and slowly walked into the next room. After she did, Samus turned to Malik.  
"Malik, help Dusty get the ship out into space and away from this vessel. And please, make sure he doesn't incite any wars."  
"Sho thing, Samus!" Malik saluted. He turned around on his wheels and disappeared into the door leading to the cockpit. Samus then headed for the door leading to the berth room, where her young ally was waiting.

When Samus walked in, she saw Victoria sitting on the bed with her hands cupped in her lap. She almost looked like a little toddler who'd just gotten in trouble. A toddler in a metal blue Bounty Hunter suit. Samus didn't want to seem like a demanding mother (since a mother she most certainly was not), but she was still upset. She took off her helmet, allowing her blond ponytail to fall loosely behind her head.  
"Victoria, you can take off your helmet."

Victoria looked up at Samus for a second, and nodded. She reached for her helmet and lifted it off. A veil of lovely black hair cascaded down all sides of her head. She brushed it away from her face with her fingertips, revealing a pair of sad-looking hazel eyes. Samus had noticed this hint of hidden sadness when she first met Victoria the day before. It never seemed to go away.  
"So... I guess now's the proper time. What were you doing in the interior of the Orpheon, after I told you to stay on the deck and keep an eye out for the Gunship?"  
Victoria was a long time in answering. She twiddled with her fingers a bit, occasionally glancing up at Samus before looking back down again. Eventually, though, she replied. "...Helping..."  
Samus shook her head. "You would've been helping more if you did what you were instructed."  
"...You're not our commander, Samus. We're a four-person team. I shouldn't have to take orders from you..."  
"I was doing what I thought would be best for the mission."  
"Oh, and you thought letting Dusty handle your Gunship was the best thing for the mission?"  
"I didn't CHOOSE for Dusty to be on this mission. So, under the circumstances, yes. Having him pilot the ship was the best course of action."  
"...And you thought putting me on lookout was the best course of action, too?"  
"Yes, because you're neither an experience pilot nor an experienced combatant. Tell me, how old are you again?"  
"...T-twenty-one..." Victoria stuttered, as though not totally sure.  
"Right, the bare minimum age needed to become a GF Bounty Hunter. You just got your license, didn't you?"  
"Uh, a couple weeks ago. Yeah..."  
"And this was your first real mission as a Bounty Hunter, right?"  
"Y-yes..."  
"Did you really expect to do more than just lookout duty? Honestly, what were you trying to prove? You'd be cannon fodder right now if I hadn't saved you. Were you just trying to be rebellious, or what?!"  
Victoria swallowed heavily. "...Yeah, I guess so..."  
Samus put her hand on her hip. "Hmm... well Little Miss Tough Stuff, if you're such a rebel, why do you feel so guilty right now?"

Victoria looked back up at Samus with those sad, dark eyes once again, and then drooped her head down even lower. If Samus didn't know better, she'd have guessed Victoria was about to cry. Samus sighed and shook her head, thinking maybe she'd beaten Victoria's already weak self-image a bit too much. As Victoria had said, Samus wasn't really the leader of their unit, so she didn't have the authority to give orders like that. It just frustrated Samus that things might have worked out better if everything had just gone as planned...  
Besides, having been working solo for so long, Samus had to admit even to herself that her people skills weren't the best. The change in her career had been so jarring that she was still in a real funk about it.

"...Look, Victoria. I'm sorry," Samus said. Apologizing was something rather new for her, too. "I didn't mean to fly off the handle like that."  
"No," Victoria replied, not looking up. "I understand why you're mad at me. But I really was just trying to help..."  
"I know," Samus assured her. "But do you think it was worth what you went through?"  
"Honestly? Yeah, I think so..."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. Remember I told you I found something that might help with the mission?"  
"Right, even though we'd pretty much declared the mission a failure?"  
"Yeah..."  
"Well, what is it?"  
Her face unchanged, Victoria pulled some papers out of a compartment in her suit. She handed them to Samus, who took them. "Their Pirate Logs," she said. "All the logs recorded in the past five days. They're written in code, so I don't know what they say. I printed them out using the Space Pirate computer because I thought maybe they might have so info on the 'Seed' thing we were looking for."  
"Hmm..." Samus thought. "That might be true... I doubt I'll be able to crack this code, though. Maybe someone back at the GF can."

"Maybe..." Victoria said with a shrug.  
"OK, we're heading back that way to give the mission report anyway. Let's be sure to ask."

With that, Samus filed the paper away into her own secret compartment. She then motioned for Victoria to stand up. "OK. That's all. You're... free to go."  
Victoria nodded and stood up. She looked pleased, but still very unhappy.  
"You know," Samus admitted, "If these logs really do contain the information we need, it could be too soon to call the quits on this job... I'm impressed, Victoria. You just might have saved the mission from failure."  
Victoria's lips curved into a slight smile.  
It was the first smilish-type thing Samus had seen on Victoria's face. It was pleasing to see it.  
"But..." Samus continued, "We still don't know for sure yet."

Victoria's smile suddenly melted away.  
Seeing that made Samus feel awful inside. She needed to restore it.  
"...But, I'm still VERY impressed with you. You did good, Victoria."  
"Thank you, Samus," Victoria said quietly, smiling a little again.

"Well," Samus announced, walking towards the door, "Now that that's settled, I think we better check up on the boys. Just hope they've actually managed to lift off by now... without killing anything, at least!"  
Victoria nodded and followed Samus out of the berth room and towards the cockpit.

"Have we lifted off yet?" Samus asked as she walked in.  
"Yes ma'am! And I did it all by myself, see? See, look! I'm flyin' the ship right now. Pretty good, huh? Yeah!"  
Samus looked through the window and was surprised to see that they were flying gracefully through space, clearly away from the Space Pirate ship now. She hadn't even felt them take off! That was suspected when an experienced pilot was driving, but Dusty?!  
"Didn't feel us take off, did ya?" Dusty asked, turning around. "See? I've gotten good, haven't I? I'm a fast learner. Ha!"

"Pssh, shut up, foo!" Malik shouted from the next cabin. "Don't listen ta dis guy, Samus. I helped him take off."  
"Yeah, I figured," Samus said, giving Dusty a cocky eye.  
Dusty just smiled like goof. "Oh, alright. Maybe I needed a hand with the take-off, but hey! I'm flying really good now!"  
Samus just walked over and gently grabbed the steering wheel, indicating that he'd better let her drive.  
"Aw, c'mon Samus! Can't you see how good I'm piloting it now?"

Samus just glared at him. "Dusty, turn off the autopilot. You're wasting fuel."  
Dusty snorted. "Autopilot? I don't know nothin' about no autopilot..."  
Samus pointed to a switch that said AUTOPILOT right above it in big, bold letters. It was in the ON position.  
Dusty let go of the steering wheel and threw up his hands. "Alright, alright! You caught me."  
"You act like you expected me believe you were actually flying this ship," Samus said with a laugh. She set a course for the GF Headquarters and proceeded to expertly handle the ship along its course.

"Well, uhhh... Congratulations! You've passed the test! You've proven that you're not easily fooled! WOO!"  
"Oh, whoopee," Samus muttered sarcastically. "Where's my medal?"  
"Your prize ain't a medal!" Dusty said with a big grin. "You get a big hug from Dusty!"  
"Sounds fantastic, but I just can't accept such a nice prize. Let someone else have it."  
"Hmm, that's a shame," Dusty moaned. "Who could I give it to, then...? Oh! How about Victora?"  
Victoria, who was still standing by the door, suddenly became alert. "Umm, n-no thanks," she stuttered, but was immediately shut up when Dusty gave her a hug. Judging by the look on her face, she wasn't sure whether to laugh or kick the guy in the nuts. Dusty, though, was just smiling away, and he probably would've kept on doing so no matter what Victoria did.

Dusty was just that kind of guy. Compared to Victoria, Dusty was pretty much her polar opposite. His dark brown, almost black eyes were always sparkling with wit and energy. He also seemed to have a strange talent of being able to remain an optimistic joker even during the worst of times. The guy could get shot through the arm and still find a way to laugh about it.  
He kept his black hair trimmed, but his facial hair was another story. He let his black mustache and beard grow out naturally, his excuse for doing so being that his facial hair 'gave him character'. He was quite tall (around 6 feet) and the color suit he preferred was green. His face could only be described as kind of ugly with very handsome features, a paradox that matched his off-the-wall personality. While he may have been a bit scary-looking at first glance, if you took two seconds to get to know him, you'd find that he was just like a big teddy bear. C:

Dusty released Victoria, who just stared up at him blankly. At barely above five feet, she really needed to look up to see him.  
"Hey, Victoria," he said.  
"Umm... yeah?" she asked quietly.  
"I been thinking, mind if I call you Vicki? I'd really like it if I could call you Vicki."  
It was noticed Victoria was starting to feel nervous. She kind of pushed her way out of Dusty's arms and hurried her way back towards the berth room, her hands cupped at her chest. Dusty was left standing there, looking confused.

Malik had wheeled in from the culinary cabin at that moment, holding a plate with some weird food on it. Once Victoria was out of sight, he busted out laughing. "Ha HA! Man, Dusty! You known dat girl fo' a day and you alREADY tryin' to hit on her?"  
"Hey, can you blame me?" Dusty asked with a shrug. His disappointed frown morphed back into a goofy smile. "She's 21, same age as me, she's GORGEOUS, and... and did I mention she's gorgeous?"  
"Naw, man. Don't believe ya did!"  
"Hehe, yeah..." Dusty then turned to Samus. "Oh, and you're pretty good-lookin' too, Samus! Don't feel bad! You're just a little old for me, that's all. You're like, 50, right?"  
"Ooooh, something like that," Samus muttered, trying to concentrate of flying. "Take off about 23 years and you've got it."  
"Whoa! You're 17?!"  
"She's 27, dawg!" Malik corrected. However, he too looked uncertain. "Uhh... Dat's right, right?"  
"Yes, that's right," Samus said.  
"Cool. I'm smarter dan Dusty! Not dat it's somethin' to be real proud of..."  
Dusty just laughed. Samus secretly laughed a little as well.

Malik was probably the most easygoing of all four in the unit, and definitely the most chill and relaxed. He had black skin, which was rare for that section of the universe, and made him a bit of an outcast. He could care less, though. In fact, if anyone messed with him, he could cut them down to size solely with his own size.  
Really, Malik was an absolute behemoth of a man. Or rather, he used to be. Several years ago, a much younger and more fit Malik had been drafted into a war to stop an attempted Kricken invasion of a planet. He was nearly 7-and-and-half feet tall, with every muscle in his body buff beyond comparison. He refused to talk about the details of the war, but all that was known was that a freak accident had caused him to lose both of his legs from the kneecap down. After extensive surgery, they'd managed to have his lower body hooked up to a segway-type mode of transport. It was very convenient, yet he still sometimes longed to be able to walk again. After a long period of depression, he joined the ranks of the GF Bounty Hunters to get bring some action back into his life. It proved to be a good move for him.  
While his lower body was pretty much useless now, he was still a giant in his upper half. His face and voice resembled a mixture of famous comedians Bernie Macintosh and Bill Cosmonaut, except for the fact that he kept his head shaved. His suit color of choice was silver. It suited his dark skin well, everyone thought. All in all, Malik was probably the team member who Samus appreciated the most.

"Yo Malik!" Dusty exclaimed, "Don't look now bro, but there's SOMEthing on your plate!"  
Malik raised an eyebrow. "Boy, what you talkin' bout? Dis my dinner and my dessert."  
"Um, OK. So what the heck is it?!"  
"Mmmm... Iss my gramma's famous Spinach Cheesecake recipe. Real tasty. Even better dan peanut butter an' jam! Wanna taste?"  
"Spinach Cheesecake? Sounds tempting, but... no. I think Samus would like some, though! Samus, ya want some?"  
"Umm, no. Thanks. I'm fine."  
"Oh, maybe Victoria wants some, then!" Dusty exclaimed. He grabbed the plate and ran into the berth room.

Malik and Samus just watched the door for a minute or two, wondering what was going to happen. When neither Dusty nor Victoria came out, they decided to shrug it off. Maybe something interesting would happen later.  
"Yo Samus," Malik said, wheeling himself to her side. "Dere's still a bit more Spinach Cheesecake in dere if ya want some..."  
"No thank you, Malik. I said I'm OK."  
Malik noticed an unpleasant look in Samus's eyes as she concentrated on her piloting. The way she stared so intently out into space... What was she thinking?  
"Uhh, Samus? You feelin' alright?"  
"I said I'm fine, Malik. Really."

"OK. Just makin' sure..."

There was a little more silence.

"Ya know Samus. I heard stories about you befo'."  
Samus looked down at him curiously. "...Really? You have?"  
Malik smiled a big grin. "Pssh, yeah, girl! You always beatin' up dem Space Pirates and dem Metroids and dem Ridleys and Kraids and giant brain things! Man, I'd be dead right up to dose Metroids. Dose things skeer da HELL outta me! You's even more of a man dan me, and youse a WOMAN! Man, you make even a war vet like me jealous! You got some prime stuff in ya, girl!"  
As much as Samus tried to hide it, she was absolutely beaming. "Well... I appreciate that, Malik. Thank you."

"...You, uhh... sure you don't want somma gramma's Spinach Cheesecake?"  
"Yes."

* * *

"OK everybody, we've arrived at the GF Headquarters. Prepare for landing!"  
"Don't tell me what to do!"  
"...Suit yourself, Dusty. Just giving you a fair warning."  
"Well, what am I supposed to do to prepare for landing?"  
"I don't know. Grab something."  
"Can I grab Victoria?"  
"If it's OK with her, I guess."  
"w00t! Is it OK with you, Vicki?"  
"Uh, u-um... I..."  
"GREAT! You can grab me too, if ya want."  
"Oooh..."  
"OK, we've landed. Dusty, let her go before she dies of a heart attack."  
"Aww, do I have to?"  
"Yes."  
"YES!"  
"Yeah, dawg. I think ya bettah."  
"Oh, well if Malik says I better... Didja feel safe, Vicky?"  
"...How much longer do I have to work with you?"

The four dismounted Samus' Gunship and stepped aboard the GF space station. Samus led the way through the station's several hallways until they reached a door labeled 'Keith Vapor'. Samus flashed her Hunter's license in front of the scanner, which granted her and her partners access into the room. When they walked in, they saw Mr Vapor's chair facing away from them. A second later, he swivelled it around and revealed himself.  
"Oh, Samus Aran! Hello!"  
"Hello Mr Vapor," Samus replied.  
Victoria and Dusty stood back a bit and silently bowed. Malik simply waved.

"So, how are you?"  
"All things considered, Mr Vapor, I could be better."  
"...Is that so? Why? What's the word?"  
Samus sighed. "Do you remember the mission that my unit and I were sent on?"

"Oh, about the message we got about the 'Seed' and how it was aboard that Space Pirate vessel?"  
"Yes, that's the one."  
"What's the status of the mission?"  
"Well, to be honest, we're not quite sure yet. See, we'd initially labeled it as a failure because we didn't find anything suspicious aboard the vessel. The Space Pirates had acted like they were hiding something, but it was nothing we were able to find. We looked for nearly an hour, but we still came out empty-handed."  
Mr Vapor looked displeased with this news. "So you're sure it was the correct Space Pirate frigate, right?"  
"Yes, the Orpheon. We're positive it was the right one."  
"Hmm, yeeeah... Sounds like mission failed to me."  
"Right, but the thing is, we may have a lead as to where 'The Seed' could be."  
Mr Vapor's sat forward. "Oh, really? I'm listening..."

Samus reached into the secret compartment of her suit and pulled out the coded Pirate Logs, then dropped them on Mr Vapor's desk. "These are the logs of all the events that have happened on the Orpheon in the past five days. The problem is that, umm... they're not written in English."  
"I can see that," Mr Vapor said, examining the documents. "It's just a bunch of animal symbols or something."

Dusty ran up to the desk and looked at the papers. "Oh hey, yeah! There's a fish, and a snake, and a turkey! Kewl!"  
Mr Vapor looked up at him through his icy blue eyes. "Umm... excuse me, who are you again?"  
Dusty held out his hand. "Hi! I'm Dusty Atticus! Sup, Keith? Heheh, 'Keith'... doesn't sound very fitting for a President of a Galactic Federation, know what I mean? 'Keith'. Heheh... Oh, whoops. Sorry, got a bit carried away there. Hi! I'm Dusty Atticus!"  
"...Oh, that's right. You're part of Samus's team," Mr Vapor said, holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you."  
The two shook hands.

Dusty smiled widely. "We're now officially buddies. Alimbic Tavern, tomorrow at 9. At night. Be there! Malik'll be there, too! Right, Malik?"  
Malik just stood where he was and shrugged. "Uhh... sho', I guess. Yo, wassup Mr Vapor? Issa honor to talk to da President of da GF. Is it a tough job?"  
Mr Vapor smiled. "It's only tough when my greatest Bounty Hunter comes in saying she's failed her mission!"  
He, Dusty, and Malik all proceeded to laugh. Samus groaned in frustration.  
"Haha... No, but really Samus. Don't sweat it too much. Besides, you said so yourself that these Pirate Logs could very well mean that the mission's not over. You think they contain information on where 'The Seed' could be?"  
"I do, sir."  
"Very well, then you'd better have these decoded." Mr Vapor picked up the logs and handed them back to Samus. He then opened up one of the drawers in his desk and took out a small memo, which he also handed to Samus.  
"Take this to the tech room in sector B of the space station, 2nd floor. Follow the signs, is that clear?"  
"CLEAR!" Dusty yelled before anyone else could say anything.  
"Oh damn, don't shock me, doctor! DON'T SHOCK ME!!" Malik shouted, covering his face with his hands. Hospital flashbacks, it seemed.

"Good, let's hope the mission isn't over yet. If this 'Seed' is as important as that broadcast makes it out to be, we don't want the Space Pirates to have it!"  
"Affirmative, sir," Samus replied.

Mr Vapor sat back in his chair, and noticed Victoria standing silently near the door. She hadn't moved or said anything, and merely looked at the floor.  
"Excuse me, miss. What's your name?"  
She looked up slowly, reluctant to speak. "...Victoria. Victoria Matamales."  
"Mata-who?" Dusty asked.

Mr Vapor smiled, and motioned for her to come closer. "You look a bit young for a Bounty Hunter. How old are you?"  
"She's 21, yo honor," Malik answered.  
"Hey now, Malik," Mr Vapor hushed him. "I'm pretty sure she can answer for herself." He turned back to Victoria. "Are you really 21?"  
Victoria opened her mouth to speak, but then just lowered her head and nodded.  
"Hmm, you're much older than you look."

Victoria whimpered silently at the comment.  
"That's a compliment, honey!" Dusty laughed, nudging her. "You crazy girl!"

Mr Vapor smiled again. "Sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable, Ms Matam... Umm... Victoria. Being the President of the Galactic Federation, I like to personally know all my Bounty Hunters."  
"I understand," Victoria muttered.  
"I'm guessing you're new. This is a pretty big mission for someone who just entered the field. You're especially lucky to be working under a veteran like Samus Aran."  
"I know..." she said softly.  
"C'mon Vicki!" Dusty exclaimed. "If you wanna impress the boss, you gotta show him that you've got more than just a two-word vocabulary!"  
Samus elbowed his slightly to shut him up. She could tell that Mr Vapor was trying to make Victoria feel comfortable about being new, and Dusty wasn't helping.  
"So how'd you do on your first mission?"  
"I... guess I did OK. I did lookout duty."  
"Oh," Samus budded in, "And she invaded the vessel and retrieved the Pirate Logs."

Mr Vapor's eyes widened, and he looked back at Victoria, who was blushing a little.  
"Did you really?"  
"...Yes..."  
"Wow, impressive for your first real job. Heck, I don't even think Samus even did that on her first misson!"  
"Nope," Samus said, "I just infiltrated an entire Space Pirate base by myself and killed the Mother Brain."  
Mr Vapor just nodded. "Um, of course! Right... Anyway Victoria, I can already tell that we can expect great things from you."  
"What about ME?"  
"Quiet, Dusty Attic."  
"Atticus!"  
"I'll call you Dusty Attic if I want!"  
"Haha! Yo dawg, dat's a good one! I'mma call you Dusty Attic from now on!"  
"GODDAMMIT, I'M NOT A DUSTY ATTIC!!"  
"I actually caught that when I first heard your name, but I just never said anything."  
"Quiet, Samus!"

"Settle down, people!" Mr Vapor shouted, turning back to Victoria. "Lemme tell you something. Because your work on your first mission thus far has been so impressive, I'm going to offer you this..."  
Mr Vapor reached into another drawer in his desk and pulled out a small bronzed medal with a Chozo hieroglyphic carved in it. Victoria's mouth opened in awe when she saw it.  
"A... a medal?" she stuttered.

"That's right," Mr Vapor said, handing it to her. "The symbol on it is Chozo for 'Warrior that is stronger than Link, Mario, Charmander, Matthias, Robot Devil, Chuck Norris, Grodus, MegaMan.EXE, and Ike combined.' I gave one just like it to Samus when she completed her first misson."  
Victoria took the medal and held it close. "But... but the mission's not even finished yet... and even if it is, it's failed... isn't it?"  
"Take it anyway," Mr Vapor insisted. "It'll give you the confidence you need."  
Victoria smiled faintly. "Thank you, sir."  
"You're welcome," Mr Vapor said as he sat back in his chair. "Well, I believe this meeting is done. Go get those Pirate Logs deciphered, stat. Let's pray the mission's still alive!"  
Samus, Dusty, Malik, all saluted and walked out the door. It wasn't until they were outside, though, that they noticed Victoria had been left in Mr Vapor's office...

Dusty and Malik were already making their way down the hall, but Samus was quick to stop them. "Hey, wait up, you two. Victoria's still in there."  
"So?" Dusty asked.  
"Yeah," said Malik. "Maybe she just wanna talk to da boss a bit mo'. We kin go get those Pirate Log things put into English widout her. Iss OK."  
Samus stood by the door for a second. "Well, I'm just afraid she might come out before we're done, and she might not know where we went..."  
"Aw, don't worry 'bout her, Samus," Malik assured her. "I'm sure she 'members where da computer room's at."  
"I'm sure she does, but still, she strikes me as very lonely. You know, if she walked out and saw no one at least waiting for her, it'd probably hurt her feelings... You know what? I can wait here for her. You two go on ahead and get the logs deciphered. The two of us will meet you there in a bit."

Samus handed the logs to Malik, who accepted them. "Yes ma'am!"  
"Aww..." Dusty moaned. "I wanted to wait for Vicki..."  
"No, we all know how that would've turned out," Samus insisted. She showed the two off. They raised no further objections and continued down the halls of the GF Station.

* * *

Malik and Dusty eventually reached the elevator that would take them down to the 2nd floor and stepped inside.  
"So..." Dusty began, "Victoria gets a medal from the President of the GF. Samus gets the same medal a bunch of years ago, and probably has about a bazillion more. Sigh... seems like women are getting all the praise these days, while we men get nothin'. Well Malik, looks like you and me are in the club of medal-less... guys."  
"Boy, whatcha talkin' bout? I'm a WAR veteran! Shoot, I lost both my legs in battle! I gots a Purple Heart and a whole buncha other medals for my service!" "...What are you, a woman?"  
"Ironic that YOU would ask dat."  
"Oh, yeah? Well how about from now on I call you 'Wheels'. Huh? Would you want that, 'Wheels'?"  
"Pssh! That ain't nothin' compared to some o' the names I could come up wit for YOU!"

The elevator reached the 2nd floor, and the doors opened up. They continued on their way to Sector B, where the tech room was located.  
Dusty sighed and stretched his arms over his head. "Hmmm... So, you think Victoria likes me?"  
Malik bust out laughing almost immediately. After about a minute straight, he tried to actually speak, but he only sputtered and resumed laughing for another whole minute. When he at last settled down again, he looked back up at Dusty. Dusty's annoyed face was so priceless that Malik just went on laughing again.  
Dusty cracked a grin. "I'll take that as a 'Give her some more time and she'll warm up to you.' Yeah, that sounds good. Thanks for the support, buddy."  
Malik shook his head and patted Dusty on the shoulder. "Hoo! Boy, ya needs to GIT OVAH yourself! You known the girl fo' one day, and she only done known YOU fo' one day! And if ya ask me, I'd say your first impression wasn't da best!"  
"But it wasn't the WORST, now was it?"  
"...Uhhh... I reckon not."  
"Good. So there's still a chance? I mean, c'mon. Quiet girl like her? The quiet ones are always the easiest to reel in, right?"  
"Naw, man. Actually, the quiet ones are usually da most conservative. Dey ain't so eager ta git into relationships."  
"Ha! Right, like I'm supposed to take love advice from a black man with no legs!"  
"...Whass any o' dat got anythin' to do wit anythin'?"  
"Geez Malik, can the girl talk! We've got a JOB to do, alright?"  
Malik just snorted and shook his head. "Man, iss gonna be interestin' workin' wit you. I kin already tell..."

The two eventually reached the tech room, which was loaded with all sorts of computers and gadgets and gizmos that would make James Bond piss his pants. The biggest of them all was a humongous 30-foot screen that took up the entire north wall. The two worked their way over, and as they approached, it turned on automatically. A bright green pixilated face that filled the screen gazed down upon them.  
_"Welcome. How may I be of service?"_ asked the computer's synthetic voice.  
"Uhh, yes, Mr Computer, sir, we need something decoded."  
_"Is it in paper format?"  
_"Yes sir!" Dusty exclaimed, holding the papers up. "Can't you see 'em?"  
_"I do not have eyes. I cannot see."_  
"What? Of all the things computers can do these days, they can't even SEE?"  
_"It's not my fault. I am a Windows computer."_  
"Windows?! Aw, dag... I am SO sorry."  
_"It is quite alright. I get too much pity already. Anyhoo, please insert the desired files into the slot and the decoding shall begin automatically."  
_"Sweet!" Dusty cheered, running over and shoving the papers into the slot.

The computer began to hum and buss with activity. Projected on the big screen was a close-up of the symbols written on the Pirate Logs. All sorts of weird numbers and letters were randomly popping up all over the place on the screen. The computer sure was working hard to translate the message. "This code is nigh unbreakable. I'm not sure whether the elephant represents a letter 'Q' or perhaps the word 'cheese'."  
"What have you got so far, Mista Computer?" Malik wondered.

_"So far, I have... 'THIS MESSAGE MAKES NO SENSE. THE ONLY PART THAT DOES MAKE SENSE IS THE PART WHERE THE PIZZA AND THE APPLE PIE FIGHT ATOP THE CHOZO TEMPLE WHILE THE MONKEY SINGS IN THE BATHTUB. NONE OF THIS IS PART OF THE MESSAGE, BUT IF IT WAS, IT WOULD BE THE ONLY PART THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.' Does that seem relevant to your situation?"  
_"I'm not even totally sure what out situation is... so I'll buy it!" Dusty blurted. "Something about a monkey and a pizza?"  
"Naw, man!" Malik shouted. "Dat can't be right! Space Pirates wouldn't write no random nonsense in their journals like dat! Computer, anythin' written about a 'Seed' o somethin' like dat?"  
_"A 'Seed', you say? Well, now that you mention it, if I make this symbol a letter 'E' and this one a... hmm... ah... ah-HA! That's it! The message has been decoded!"  
_Dusty and Malik both cheered and clapped their hands.  
_"Thank you, thank you. Not bad for a Windows computer, don't you agree? Please wait while your file is being reprinted in English."_

A minute later, three sheets of paper were spewed from the printer. Malik took them, and was glad to see them in decipherable English. "Aw, dat's right! Let's hope dese papers has got de key to us continuin' da mission. C'mon Dusty, let's get back to Samus and show 'er. Thanks a lot, Mista Computer, sir!"  
_"No, thank YOU. That'll be twelve bajillion dollars. Pay up, now."_  
However, Dusty and Malik were already gone. How they'd disappeared so fast, the computer had no idea.  
_"Oh dear... I really need that laser cage and those robot arms with the boxing gloves installed..."_

* * *

Samus waited patiently outside the door for Victoria to finish whatever she was doing in Mr Vapor's office. She was itching to see if that Pirate data had some information that could save their mission. However, there was something else she wanted to ask Mr Vapor about. Something that was very troublesome to her. Plus, she wanted to get out there already and start kicking some ass as usual. She needed to be patient for just a bit longer.  
She really wasn't the patient type, though.

As Samus grew more bored and restless standing outside the door, she became more curious as well. Just what was Victoria still doing in there? Talking with Mr Vapor about her medal, perhaps? Samus remembered having received that same honorary medal after her first mission. She felt so proud... Victoria, being as meek and shy as she was, was probably a hundred times more thrilled.  
But still... What more did she and Mr Vapor have to talk about? Had Dusty been there, he probably would've suggested she was giving him oral sex or something. In fact, Samus's mind began to drift towards that corner. She knew that when she started thinking like Dusty, something seriously wasn't right. She needed to nourish her curiosity.  
Samus stepped towards the door and pressed her ear against it. She could hear the conversation going on beyond...

_"...when was the last time anyone saw him? Please, tell me..."  
"I don't understand, Ms Matimimos..."  
"Matamales."_

_"Uh, yeah... that. Anyway, the man has been missing for at least four months now. The last time I remember seeing him, he was on a mission to... some planet."  
"Some planet? Is that all you can tell me?? Please, TRY to remember."  
"I still don't understand, Ms Matadora-"  
"Matamales!"  
"Right, excuse me. Anyway, you still haven't explained why you're so curious about his whereabouts."  
"That... that shouldn't matter. Please, PLEASE try and remember what planet he was last sent to. I'm begging you...!"  
"OK, OK. I'm sorry... I'm trying to recall. Let's see... What planet did I last send him to...? Hmm... Oh, I think I got it."  
"Really? Oh, what is it?"  
"It was... planet Urrth!"_

Upon hearing that, Samus's curiosity - and confusion - piqued. She listened more intently.

_"...Planet Urrth?"  
"Yes. I'm about 90 sure."  
"Uh... umm... Where is that?"  
"...I'm afraid I don't know. You can consult one of the universal maps, but I doubt you'll find anything."  
"Sir, I ask permission to go to abandon this mission and go to planet Urrth!"  
"What?! Ms Malamates, you- Wait, was that correct?"  
"Ughh... close enough."  
"Good. Now, where was I...? Oh yeah. You can't just abandon a mission that has been assigned to you by the Galactic Federation. When you signed up to become a Bounty Hunter, when you endured all those weeks of training, when you received your Hunter's License, you made an oath to this Federation that you would accept any job we needed you for, and that you would NOT quit on said job until, successful or failed, it was over. Is that clear?!"  
"Please, Mr Vapor. You have no idea..."  
"Then GIVE me an idea! Trust me, Headshot was one of the greatest Bounty Hunters to ever work under me, almost as legendary as Samus Aran. I was absolutely crushed to here of his disappearance four months ago, and have since been hoping and wishing that he may just come back one day... Just tell me, if you feel the same way I do. Why do you need to know where he is so badly?"_

Headshot? Samus knew about him. She'd never met him personally, nor did she ever learn his real name, but he evidently was a true force to be reckoned with. He'd gotten his nickname because he was especially deadly delivering headshots with the Imperialist weapon. They say he killed over 1,000 Space Pirates that way. Samus wondered if even she herself had killed that many... She really would've loved to meet him one day. It still struck her as odd that the last planet he was sent to was the very planet she was born on...  
And she too wondered why Victoria was so eager to find him. Did the two have some connection?

_"Why should I say? You won't give me permission to go look for him anyway! At least not until the mission is over!"  
"...Sigh. OK, you're right. It's... not my business, I suppose. But still, you do understand that it's against the Hunters' Code for you to take a leave of absence in the midst of a mission-in-progress, am I right?"_

_"...Yes, sir."  
"And you know that if these Pirate Logs don't contain the information your team wants, then the mission will be counted as a failure, and thus will be ended, correct?"  
"Yes sir."  
"Tell you what - when this mission of yours ends, whether it be now or later, I will grant you as much time as you need to find and travel to planet Urrth, and look for signs of Headshot, before assigning you for another job. Do we have a deal?"  
"Oh, yes! Thank you so much, Mr Vapor! Thank you..."  
"Oh dear, you look like you're about to cry. Is everything OK? Let me get you a tissue..."  
"No, no. I'm OK, really. I'm just... feeling kind of... oh, never mind. I'm fine. Really..."  
"Well, alright. You hang onto that medal for me, alright? Keep it safe like Samus has kept hers. And please, if you manage to make it to Urrth, let me know of any leads you have on finding Headshot, OK?"  
"OK."  
"Good. Is that all you needed?"  
"Yes sir. Thank you so much."  
"You're welcome, Ms Matamales."  
"Hey, you got it right that time!"  
"Really? Yeah! Party time! ...Anyhoo, go see how your team and those logs are coming along."  
"Alright. See you in a bit, Mr Vapor."  
"You too, sweetheart." _

It seemed that was the end of that conversation. So Victoria wanted to go to Urrth to look for any signs of Headshot? Interesting. Samus wondered about Headshot's whereabouts, too. This was something she'd have to question Victoria about in the near future...  
Samus quickly backed away from the door just as it opened. Victoria walked out, still fingering her medal in her hands and looking down at it with that solemn expression of hers. She then noticed Samus, then looked back and forth, as though looking for someone.  
"Hey," she asked, "Where did Malik and... that other guy go?"  
"You mean Dusty?"  
Victoria grimaced at the sound of the name. "Yeah. Him..."  
"They both went to get that Pirate data translated. I stayed here to wait for you. They should be back soon. We'll just wait here for them."  
"Alright with me..."

Samus looked at Victoria and cracked a grin. Victoria stared back, as though asking 'Why the heck are you looking at me like that?"  
"You really don't like Dusty, do you?"  
Victoria looked away and shook her head. "Well, I don't hate him or anything. He hasn't done anything wrong, and I don't think he ever would, but... he's just so..."  
_"Awesome??"_

Both girls jumped, and looked over to see Malik and Dusty standing right there, a stack of papers in Malik's arms. Dusty was smiling away. "Yeah, that's what I am, right Vicki? Yeah! For sure!"  
"Boy, SHUT da hell up!" Malik exclaimed, socking him in the arm. "Makin' a fool outta yourself in front o' da ladies... and me, too!"  
"When doesn't he?" Samus asked with an eye roll. "Anyway, did you two get the job, done?"  
"Yes ma'am!" said Malik, handing her the papers. "All in perfect English. We better get readin' it, huh?"

The four Bounty Hunters gathered around the documents and began to read silently to themselves. What was written on these parchments would both frighten and confuse them all...

--

**Log 13.145.7**

Phazon mining is underway on both Tallon IV and Aether, and we've exhausted our efforts to mine every last trace of the element on both planets. However, as much as we may try, our supply still does not meet the demand of Control. With Samus Aran now seemingly out of the picture, at least for the time being, we have taken measures to transfer some of our fighting force to work in the mines. It's not a perfect idea - many of our soldiers have never trained for underground work, and therefore can't mine for shit. In the mean time, though, it will have to do.

As versatile as Phazon is - in addition to being a powerful mutagen, we've lately discovered that it can also be used as a near perpetual energy source - there are still many concerns we have when dealing with it. First and foremost, cases of 'Phazon Madness', a deterioration of brain matter caused by overexposure to Phazon that causes the victim to go insane, have risen nearly tenfold in the past cycle. Second is the fact that Phazon, like oil, only exists in limited supply. Our analysts predict that reserves on both Tallon IV and Aether could very well be depleted within the next seven cycles. Our only option at this point is to send out scouts to search for any other planets in the region with Phazon reserves. Additionally, there is the option of seeking out Metroid Prime, for it is the true source of Phazon, as we've come to understand. Evidence proves that it was defeated by Samus Aran, but perhaps not permanently. Rumors have even spread that the 'Dark Hunter' that recently vanished after tormenting our forces on Aether could possibly be a reincarnation of Metroid Prime itself. Preposterous. No way it could be true.

**Log 13.381.4**

The crew is in an unresolvable uproar. Details are sketchy, but from what has been told, something remarkable occurred recently upon this spacecraft. Eyewitnesses claim a glowing ball of gaseous white light no bigger than a basketball floated into the main doors of the vessel and through the hallways, illuminating everything in its range with blinding rays. Crew members had tried to fire at it, but the bullets seemed to pass right through. It supposedly did not attack anyone. One crew member even swears that it passed right through his abdomen, which left him very much unscathed. It did effect him emotionally, however. He claims to have been filled with a strange, peaceful euphoria in that instant, a feeling he admits he'd like to feel again sometime in his life. What's most bizarre about this happening, though, is where the ghostly ball of light ended up. Unit 1206, who had tried to approach the light, was undoubtedly shocked to see the orb rear back and shoot directly into his chest, vanishing as it did. It was as though he absorbed the orb into his body. A very strange occurrence indeed. Investigation is still underway, especially interrogation of Unit 1206 and his current state.

**Log 13.402.9**

Following the frightful incident with the shining orb yesterday, Unit 1206 has been observing some very odd behavior. Once a renowned general gifted in the art of training our Elite and Omega Pirate squadron, Unit 1206, nicknamed 'Scythe' by fellow crew members, has since been showing signs of severe mental instability. He can no longer speak, and instead mumbles incomprehensible gibberish. He no longer uses the latrines, and prefers to lay his waste wherever he happens to be standing. On one occasion, he defecated on the floor right next to the Orpheon's pilot, nicknamed 'Reaper', and then proceeded to point at it and laugh. Whatever has happened to him, it also seems to have physical negativities as well. He has lost the ability to walk, and instead prefers to crawl or, on some occasions, roll around. He periodically lets out loud, ear-splitting wails that echo throughout the vessel and rattle our eardrums with reckless abandon. To see such a respected member of our force succumb to this fate is disheartening indeed.  
It's still a mystery, however, what exactly is it that has happened to him. Some believe it may be a new level of Phazon Madness we have never witnessed before, which is a possibility. The majority, however, are sure it's connected to the ball of white light that invaded his body the day before. If only we knew what it was, we could remedy this disaster... but sadly, we have no idea what it could be. X-Ray photos have turned up nothing unusual in his body, so whatever this being is, it takes no physical form. Further research is to commence.

**Log 13.627.5**

Command has grown especially upset over the 'shining ball' incident that happened earlier aboard our frigate. They demand that research on the now completely delirious Unit 1206 be halted indefinitely, claiming they needn't waste their time with him anymore. Frankly, it has become difficult to argue with them. Research on Unit 1206 and the beast within him has yielded virtually no results, and he grows to become more of a nuisance with each passing day. He wails and screams nonstop throughout the night, and he insists that others help to feed him because he seems to have forgotten how to feed himself. Most of us are about ready to simply chalk up his ailment to the Phazon and just abandon him somewhere. In the shape he is in, he would better off dead anyway. We are Space Pirates, and we shall let nothing stand in our way to reaching dominance in the universe. If that means the eradication of a once revered general and team member, then so be it. Unit 1206, you and your rotted brain can kiss your asses good-bye.

**Log 13.638.1**

The crew members working in Communications reported that they had received a strange message from an anonymous sender. From memory, it was something along the lines of 'The Seed is aboard the Orpheon Space Pirate vessel.' The voice was very deep and sincere, almost otherworldly. An official of the Galactic Federation, we believe. What this cryptic message means is unknown to us. We on the Orpheon have nothing that we call a 'Seed', and if anyone were to know if such a thing was aboard, it would be us. Curse that Galactic Federation and their lies! We know not what they are planning, but they will not get away with it. Long live the Space Pirates!

**Log 13.654.2**

Salvation at last. While Unit 1206 was asleep on his cot, several staff members aboard the Orpheon agreed to carry his cot over to one of the escape pods and slip him inside. The pilot Reaper, who was in charge of the scheme, rotated the vessel around so that when the pod was released, it would be sent hurtling towards the star Old Major, the nearest one to our current position. With a last good-bye to our general turned hopeless lunatic, we pressed the eject button, and Unit 1206 was fired out into the endless black oblivion of the eternal frontier. We expect that he shall be reaching the surface of Old Major in approximately eighteen hours. As far as we're concerned, however, it can't happen soon enough. Good riddance to bad trash.

LONG LIVE THE SPACE PIRATES! w00t!

**Log 13.655.3 **

At long last, the rites shall soon be complete. The pod is on its way, and in due time, we will make our merry way to that very site. It should be no more than 12 hours now. My apprehension knows no bounds. The day of reckoning will be at hand so very soon... Until then, we exterminate all those who hope to learn our secret. I shall personally make certain that no one will know of my plans until it is too late. The power of evil, ours...

_--_

That was all there was written. Once all four Bounty Hunters were finished, they looked at one another with the most baffled expressions. Even Samus, who'd read her fair share of odd Pirate data (the one about the Space Pirates trying to duplicate her Morph Ball function was still stuck in her mind), didn't know what to make of this.  
One thing was for sure, however. They needed to inform Mr Vapor of this right away. Maybe he could help them reach a conclusion? After all, it was hard to tell from this alone whether or not the mission could be counted as failure or not...

Mr Vapor was busy sharpening his pencils when the door opened. In walked Samus, Dusty, and Victoria, with Malik wheeling in behind them.  
"So, how's the decoding of those logs coming?" he asked.  
Samus held up three sheets of paper and dropped them on his desk. "It's all done," she replied.  
Mr Vapor's eyebrows rose. "Oh, well... that was quick. I expected it to take longer, what with that craptastic Windows computer we've got." He picked up the papers and looked them over. "Did you already read them?"  
"Yes we did, Mista Keith," Malik said, "But we're not sho' if it's got the info we want o' not."  
"Seriously," Dusty butt in. "There was something in there about a guy taking a dump in front of another guy and then pointing and laughing at it. That's really the only part I remember..."  
Mr Vapor frowned. "Uhh... that's not all it's about, is it?"  
"No, sir," Samus assured him. "Even after 2 minutes of listening to Dusty, you should have learned by now not to take anything he says seriously."  
"Ah, so the thing about the guy taking a dump... that's not really in here?" "Well, umm... Yes, it is, actually."  
Mr Vapor just stared blankly at Samus for a few seconds. He then looked over at Dusty, who just smiled. Eventually, he simply sighed. "OK, I'll read it myself. We'll discuss the state of your mission once I finish."

And so, Mr Vapor began to read over the Pirate logs himself, careful not to overlook a single detail, examining each word like a detective. The four team members all eagerly awaited his hearing. Samus kept her fingers crossed - she now understood how much she really could not stand the thought of failure. She'd never failed a mission before, and she didn't want this one to be her first.  
Dusty, surprisingly, was very anxious to hear Mr Vapor's verdict. He couldn't stop squirming around in his spot.  
Malik, being as laid-back as he was, probably would've been OK with the outcome either way, though it'd have been idiotic to think he wouldn't have preferred the mission to continue.  
Perhaps the most restless of all was Victoria. She kept her hands cupped at her chest, and was breathing heavily. Exactly what she wanted the verdict to be was a mystery to everyone else, but whatever it was, she must have really hoped it would turn out her way.

At last, Mr Vapor placed the papers down on his desk, and as he did, he grunted. "Well, that was an interesting read."  
"So Keith, my man," Dusty wondered, "What's your call? Your word is law, buddy!"  
"Oh please, I'm only the President of GF!" he joked. "In any case, it would seem the ball of light that was absorbed into the Space Pirate's body is 'The Seed' that the broadcast referred to, wouldn't you think?"  
"It's tough to get more obvious than that, sir," Samus said.  
Malik and Dusty were both left scratching their heads. They looked at each other and shrugged.  
"Well then, if you're waiting for my verdict, this is it..." Mr Vapor announced. He held out his fist, and then gave a thumbs up. "I say mission reopened!"

Dusty jumped and cheered. "WOO! Yeah, finally! Got a shot at a bigger paycheck!"

Malik just nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I'm down wit dat. Thanks a bunch, Mista Vapor."  
Samus smiled too. "Ohh, that's good. Still hope..."

Victoria, however, looked very unhappy to hear this. Her breathing became quivered and her expression doubled in sorrow. "But, w-why?" she asked, trying to contain her disappointment.  
"Well," Mr Vapor explained, who evidently sensed Victoria's emotions, "If the ball of light is truly 'The Seed', and it's within the body of that Space Pirate, there may yet be a chance to save it. The escape pod that the Space Pirate is aboard is heading for the star Old Major, and in the log, it stated that it would take about 18 hours to reach there. Now we have no way of knowing how long ago these logs were written, but we can still hope there's time before the pod reaches that star. I recommend you all get on that immediately. Intercept the pod and prevent its destruction."

However, Victoria was not ready to give up her argument. "But sir, how do we know this 'Seed' is something that we want saved? I mean, you first thought it might be a weapon of mass destruction being made by the Space Pirates, right? Well, it's clear from that data that not even the Space Pirates have any clue what 'The Seed' really is. Maybe it's better if we just let get destroyed."  
Dusty looked at Victoria like she was nuts. "Hey, Vicki, what's your problem? Do you WANT the mission to end already, or what?"  
Malik was upset, too. "Yeah, girl. This 'Seed' thingy's obviously real important ta SOMEbody. It might be helpful ta us. Ya don't wanna take a chance ta find out?"  
But Victoria's stance was firm. "No, Malik, I don't. Mr Vapor, I... I really don't think we should..."

Mr Vapor raised his hand to silence her, and then let out a deep sigh. "Victoria, listen, I understand why you're upset right now. However, as Malik said, I strongly believe it's in the best interests of the Federation to recover the 'Seed' and learn more about it. If it ends up being something that can help us, all the better. If it ends up being something hostile, we can dispose of it. It's as easy as that. Really Victoria, that's all we require of you - stop the 'Seed' from hitting Old Major, and bring it back here. Do that, and I will consider the mission a success. That's all. I promise, after that, you can do whatever it is you need to do."  
Victoria still looked a little uncertain, and for a second, made a face like she was going to protest again. However, she backed down again. "Yes sir..." was her weak reply.

Mr Vapor nodded. "Very well. So, you all understand your mission?"  
"Yes, Mr Vapor."  
"Heck yeah!"  
"Fo' sho', Mr Keith sir!"  
"Yes, sir..."  
"Aright then," he said. "You may not have long. Old Major's quite a ways away, so don't waste too much time. Also, try your best to keep a low profile, and do not make contact with the Space Pirates. Understand? Do NOT make contact with the Pirates. I can't stress that enough. You have your orders. Fall out, and good luck!"

Dusty saluted and ran like an excited little kid out of the office. Malik bowed slightly, did a U-turn, and zoomed out of there almost as fast as Dusty. Victoria stared at the floor for a brief second, took one more glace at Mr Vapor, and then slowly turned around and walked out the door.  
Samus, however, stayed in the room. She took a few steps closer to Mr Vapor's desk and stopped. He gazed up at her curiously."Um, excuse me Samus, but your mission's got a time restraint. I suggest you get going."  
"I'll be on my way in just a minute, sir," she promised. "I just need to talk to you about something first, if that's OK..."  
"Is it about the job?" "Err, sort of. It's slighty more personal..." Mr Vapor didn't like the sound of that. "Well, alright. But let's make it brief."

"Mr Vapor," she began, "I don't know if it was your decision to make, but... sir, why have I been asked to work with a team?"  
Mr Vapor raised an eyebrow. "Why? Is there a problem with your unit, Samus?"  
"No, it's not the unit," Samus said. "It's just that... you never seemed to have any problem with sending me off on dangerous missions alone. In fact, not to be immodest, but isn't that how I became such a revered figure in the GF? Because I've always been known to work - and succeed - on my own? So tell me, sir, how come all of a sudden I'm asked to work with three other Hunters on a mission that's not even as high of priority as some of my earlier jobs that I've done by myself?"

Mr Vapor could tell Samus was very upset, even if she tried to hide it. Her blue eyes were practically trembling in frustration. He sighed for the hundredth time that day, folded his hands on his desk, and spoke. "Yes Samus, it is true that you're respected by us all because of how much butt you can kick on your own. Haha!"  
He'd meant that as a joke and laughed a little, but Samus remained serious and stared at him, annoyed. He quickly cleared his throat and continued. "...But one thing you have to understand is, no matter how many Space Pirates and Metroids and mechanical rebuilds of Ridley you manage to destroy, the opposing army still grows stronger. To make matters worse still, the number of Hunters-in-training has dropped tremendously in the past cycles. Did you know we have less than a third of the number of licenced Bounty Hunters today than we did the same time last year? Our situation grows more desperate with each Hunter killed and with no one to take their places. As a result, we've seen fit to group numbers of Bounty Hunters together and send them out to accomplish missions as teams. It's proven to be a very effective tactic, as mission successes have nearly doubled over the last fiscal year. Additionally, we deliberately teamed you up with your current teammates because, A. Victoria's so new to the force, B. Dusty's a total clown who can't be depended on by himself, and C. Malik's can't walk and needs partnership. We figured if anyone could bring balance to these members of the force, it would be you, Samus Aran."

Samus was very put off by this reasoning. "So wait, you teamed me up with a newbie, a nutcase, and a cripple just so I could babysit them? Pardon me, sir, but I wasn't given Chozo-based technology and taught their battle methods for that type of work. If you're going to pair me up with somebody, at least make it with someone somewhere NEAR my rank."  
"Samus, let's get real. The only one even close to matching your status was Headshot, and he's been missing for four months after going on a solo mission. His disappearance is another reason why we started the Hunter team strategy. Had he been with a partner, even just for backup, he might not have..."

Mr Vapor trailed off.  
Samus just shook her head. "What, are you worried I'm going to get lost if I go out by myself? Please, sir. Don't forget who you're talking to..."

"No Samus, I think YOU'RE the one who's forgetting who you're talking to," Mr Vapor said rather angrily. "As high and mighty as you think you are, I'm still your boss. Now if you don't like working with others, then I promise I won't force you to on any other mission. However, for this one, I highly recommend you learn how to do so. Is that clear, Ms Aran?!"  
Samus was very reluctant to answer. It was hard to imagine her face looking any more displeased.  
However, she closed her eyes and replied, "Yes sir."

Mr Vapor sat back in his chair, winded. "I'm going to be honest with you, Samus - you are one amazing Hunter, and I am beyond thrilled to have you as part of my staff. But with all that power of yours comes great responsibility... No, wait. That's Spider-Man. Ummm... Oh, yes. With all that power of yours also comes a lot of pride. Admittedly, you handle your pride a LOT better than most people would, but it's still not a good thing."  
Samus said nothing, silently admitting that what he said was true.  
"You have to understand that you're not the only one that feels passionately about this conflict against the Space Pirates. Me, all my staff, and your fellow Bounty Hunters... we all do what we do because we want that scum gone from the universe for good - just like you do. Now, we all might not be able to do as much as you, but we all have the same goal. In that regard, we are all a team. And you, and your unit, are all a team with the same goal, too. Do you understand what I mean?"  
Samus didn't look entirely convinced, but she simply nodded, seemingly as a way to just get on with the job.  
"Very good," he said, showing her off. "I hope I told you what you wanted to hear."

"Yes sir," she replied, again rather unconvinced. With a quick salute, she turned around and walked out the door.

* * *

As Samus boarded her Gunship, she was greeted by Victoria, who was waiting in the cockpit for her to arrive.  
"Where'd you go?" Victoria asked, a bit of worry in her voice.  
"Oh, I just stayed behind to ask Mr Vapor about something," Samus replied, grabbing the steering wheel and hitting the gas. "Don't worry, we're on our way out."  
"What'd you ask him?" Victoria wondered.  
Samus seemed to have to think about whether or not she wanted to answer. "...That's none of your business."  
Victoria just frowned and looked down without saying anything.  
"Where are the boys?" Samus asked.  
"In the berth room. They were waiting for you, too."  
"Oh, they're on board? Good. Let's get going, then."

Within minutes, Samus had lifted off and was leaving the GF station, heading for Old Major. It wasn't an especially long trip, but time was a factor, so she flew through the starry void at a steady but quick pace. It wasn't until a few minutes later that she realized Victoria hadn't moved from her spot. She merely stood there by the control panel and gazed out the windshield, watching as they made their way through space. Samus figured she might have a little chat. "So, you know Headshot?"

When Victoria heard this, her eyes opened wide. She stared at Samus with an almost guilt-ridden look. "H-how do you know that?" she stammered after a long time.  
"Well," Samus said, shrugging a bit, "While I was waiting for you outside Mr Vapor's office, I... heard the name a couple times."  
"Oh..." Victoria muttered, looking down.  
It was clear she wasn't going to say anymore willingly, so Samus would have to coax her. "You know, he went missing a few months back. Went on a mission to the far-away planet Urrth, and never came back. Did you know that?"  
"Y-yes..." Victoria answered. Her lips had begun quivering, and she shuddered under her breath.  
"Yeah, that man was a legend among the GF Bounty Hunters. I never got a chance to meet him, even though I wanted to. Rumor has it he wanted to meet me, too..." Samus laughed a little at the thought. "So, do you hope to find him?"  
Samus realized it would've been better if she hadn't asked. Victoria didn't answer, and her shuddering only grew worse. Goodness, the poor girl looked about ready to explode into tears.  
But why, Samus wondered?  
Maybe it wasn't the best time to ask...

"Umm... anyway, different subject," Samus quickly said. There had to be something they could talk about to make Victoria lighten up a little bit...  
It then hit her. Taking a hand off the wheel, Samus opened the glove compartment, dug around through its contents, and at last pulled out what she was looking for. When Victoria saw it, her wet eyes sparked with amazement.  
What Samus held was the medal she'd earned after completing her first mission, identical to the one Victoria received not too long ago. In response, Victoria took out hers and compared the two. They were identical.

"Wow, it's true..." she said with a hint of glee. "You have the same one."  
"Yes I do," Samus replied with a smile. "You have NO idea what I went through on my first mission!"  
"Oh, yeah. I heard. You fought a lot of Metroids, didn't you? That's so scary. Just looking at a picture of one gave me nightmares once. I couldn't imagine seeing a real one..."  
"Yes, it was pretty frightening, to say the least. But you know what? Even after all that, having Mr Vapor hand this medal just made it all seem worthwhile. That, and the pay, of course."  
Victoria laughed. "Oh, definitely. Can't forget that!"  
"Do you remember what the Chozo symbol on it stands for again? Warrior braver than Mario, Link, umm... a whole bunch of other people..."  
"I remember Chuck Norris."  
"Oh, that's right! How could I forget him?"  
"Seriously, what with all the Chuck Norris jokes floating around lately..."  
"Oh, please! Those things are so lame!"  
"Some are pretty funny, though."  
"No they're not."  
"No, some are! Like, umm... Chuck Norris can slam a revolving door!"

Samus didn't reply. She just looked at Victoria with a smile on her face. Victoria smiled right back. There was something about seeing her happy that just filled one with happiness themselves, almost like she was the one who determined the emotions of those around her. Samus decided Victoria was likeable enough, even though she constantly seemed depressed. She was still a newbie to the force, though, and that was something that would take a little more time to get over.

Moving some of her dark hair out of the way of her face, Victoria looked back down in the medal in her hands, then at Samus's. "...You know, my dad told me about you..."  
"Your dad?" Samus wondered, as though surprised by the fact that Victoria had a dad.  
"Yeah. He said you were amazing... That if anyone could stop the Space Pirates and their legions, it would be you without a shadow of a doubt. When I first got my Hunters' License, I wondered if maybe I'd get a chance to meet you... And to think, not only am I actually working with you on my first mission ever, but I also have the same medal as you."  
Victoria's faint smile faded again. "I almost feel like I don't deserve it..."

The only thing worse than seeing that girl's sad face was witnessing it go from happy to sad.  
Samus shook her head and looked over at her. "...Victoria, tell me honestly, why did you decide become a Bounty Hunter? I can tell just by looking at you that you never would've done it unless you had a VERY good reason. So, why did you?"  
Victoria met Samus's gaze, her face dark and mystery-ridden. "...That's none of your business."

At that moment, Dusty and Malik came barging in, arguing about something. Something stupid, no doubt.  
"Hey!" Samus shouted as she lost her focus, "Can't you two act like idiots in the berth room? I'm trying to drive!"  
"I'll act like an idiot wherever I please," Dusty said formally.  
"Sorry 'bout that, Samus," Malik apologized, "But listen, we came in here ta tell ya that dere's some ship followin' us. We sawed it out da window. It looked kinda like dat Orpheon vessel, but iss kinda far away. Anyways, you're da best Bounty Hunter outta all three o' us, so we just wanted to tell you so you could maybe figger somethin' out. We'll resume actin' like foos in de other room, OK? You do whachya gotta do. If ya need us, shout, a'ight?"  
"Very good, Malik. Thank you," Samus told him.  
"Cool, cool," Malik said, wheeling back into the berth room. Dusty followed him back in and the two resumed bickering immediately

"The Space Pirates are following us??" Samus asked herself.  
"Not to sound rude or anything, Samus," Victoria reasoned, "But haven't the Space Pirates wanted you dead for a long time? It's not so weird that they're tracking you, is it?"  
"No, it is," Samus said. "The Space Pirates are very ambitious when it comes to their work, but they'd never actively seek out their threats. They prefer to let the threat come to them, and THEN finish them off. Honestly, how do you think I'd have survived this long if they were always chasing after me?"  
"I dunno," Victoria said with a shrug. She wasn't sure what more to say.

"Whatever. If they're chasing me down now, they must really mean business. I still don't understand why, though." She adjusted the rearview mirror to get a view of the spacecraft moving towards them. It was still rather far away, but it was approaching fast.  
"Maybe it's the same reason they were so aggressive to us before? You said they were more so than usual, right?"  
"Yes, much more. But it doesn't make sense. They obviously weren't worried about us taking 'The Seed'. They launched it towards a star, for God's sake!"

Victoria appeared confused by that statement. "...For _who's_ sake?"

Samus didn't reply. "Ugh, they're probably just upset because of the information we got. They might be trying to stop us from intercepting the escape pod with that Seed-carrying, wacked-out Pirate on board..."  
At that moment, Samus kicked her Gunship into high gear. The engine whirred and made some loud noises. She gripped the steering wheel tightly.  
"Grab onto something, Victoria!"  
Victoria's eyes grew wide for a second, then she nodded and obeyed, grabbing hold of some kind of a handle on the control panel.  
"BOYS!" Samus called out loud, "GRAB ONTO SOMETHING!!"  
"WHAT??"  
"I think she said yo' dad's on somethin'. I think."  
"Haha, buddy! You got no idea!"  
Samus then stomped on the gas, and the Gunship zoomed ahead, reaching Mach 3 in 2.5 seconds.  
_"AAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!!"  
_

After several seconds of ludicrous speed, Samus finally shifted back into normal gear and allowed it to slow down a bit. Victoria, who'd kept her hands on the handlebar and her feet planted on the ground, at least managed not to go sailing. Her face was white as a bedsheet. Samus couldn't help but laugh to herself. She took a quick glance at her rearview mirror. As suspected, and hoped, the Orpheon was no longer visible.

Samus patted Victoria on the shoulder, who didn't move an inch. Her face was still frozen in utter shock and fear, as though time has stopped in its tracks. Samus used her own fingers to undo Victoria's stone-tight grip on the handle. Only by doing that did Victoria snap back into consciousness. She blinked a couple times to get back in the zone.  
"Whoa... what a ride!" she exclaimed.  
"I know. I love it." Samus said.  
Samus wondered about the boys. She knew for a fact that they hadn't grabbed onto anything like she told them to. She just hoped they hadn't totally destroyed anything when they went flying, including their bones. Well, Malik, anyway. Dusty... meh, he could've broken his head for all she cared. A concussion might have actually done his brain some good.

Victoria looked forward out the windshield, and her still bewildered face suddenly filled with awe. "Samus... is that Old Major??"  
"Yes, it is," Samus replied, gazing at Old Major herself. It was a positively enormous red star, with flames and gas spots constantly erupting over its surface. And it was positively ENORMOUS, one of the largest and oldest stars in the entire region. Some experts claimed it was long overdue for an implosion and collapse into a black hole. But who listens to 'experts', anyway?

Samus put on her helmet right away. This way, she could admire the star's beauty without the risk of hurting her eyes. When she looked over at Victoria, she saw her still trying to look at the star while halfway shielding her eyes.  
"Victoria!" Samus said roughly, "Put your helmet on! The rays could blind you!"  
"Huh? O-oh!" Victoria stuttered, almost feeling like she was in trouble. She detached her blue helmet from her belt and put it on her head. "Sorry. I've never been this close to a star before..."  
"Still, it's common sense! You know not to stare at stars, don't you? That's something you tell little children!"  
"I know. I... I'm sorry," was all Victoria managed to spurt out.  
Samus sighed. Newbies... Decent most of the time, until you have to work with them...

"Listen Victoria, could you go check up on the boys? I just wanna make sure they didn't break anything in there when they no doubt crashed like dummies."  
"OK..." Victoria replied unenthusiastically. Her head still down, she turned and walked towards the door leading towards the berth room. Once she was through the door, Samus turned on her radar to seek out the position of the escape pod that would be arriving. She wasn't sure when it was expected to arrive, or if it had already burned on Old Major's surface long ago, but she did so just to be safe. She also wanted to be prepared in case the Orpheon vessel came in pursuit before the escape pod arrived.

It still confused her what the Space Pirates might have wanted. Were they really afraid that Samus and her team would save this mentally unstable Space Pirate? Or were they just embarrassed to have had those Logs stolen from them, and were hoping to seek revenge? Whatever the case, Samus knew she'd have to see what they wanted sooner or later. For some reason, she was sure they didn't want to kill her. At least not yet. What made her so sure wasn't clear, though.  
Something to do with 'The Seed', perhaps?  
A cloud of thoughts fogged up her troubled mind...

Samus kept her eyes on the radar for any sign of either the escape pod or the Orpheon. Again, she didn't know when to expect either one to come, but she knew it was better to be safe than sorry. Just like the time she went into the battle against the Boost Guardian with only one Energy Tank because she thought 'she was good enough'. Indeed, she ended up pretty sorry after that.

Victoria walked back into the cockpit, with Dusty walking in behind and Malik rolling in right after. Dusty was rubbing his head and groaning, though Malik seemed more or less OK.  
"They're both doing fine, I think," Victoria reported.  
"I'll hear it from them," Samus said, looking at Dusty and Malik. "Are you alright, Malik?"  
"Yeah, dere's no problem, Miss Samus. I flewed right inta de wall, but luckily my airbags was workin' juss fine. Yeeah." He resumed busily trying to stuff his airbags back into the compartment.  
"Oh, good to hear. Next time I tell you top grab onto something, remember to do it, OK? I don't want you getting too beat up, Malik. I might need you later!"  
"Yes, Miss Samus. I'll 'member."  
"Good," she said, turning back to her radar.

Dusty frowned, almost looking genuinely sad. Almost. "Hey Samus, aren't you gonna ask me if I'm OK, too?"  
"Your fine."  
"But I-"  
"You're FINE."  
"...Oh, I see how it is," Dusty remarked jokingly. "I'll just ask someone that DOES care!"

Victoria seemed to know what was coming. She tried to sneak away undetected, but Dusty had already put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey Vicki. Aren't you gonna ask if I'm OK?"  
Victoria was so nervous she wasn't sure what to do. She looked down at the ground and asked hesitantly. "...Are you OK, Dusty?"

Dusty took his one hand off his head and the other off her shoulder, then used both his hands to take hers. "...I feel much better now, knowing that a beautiful girl like you cares."  
The tone in which he spoke made it hard to tell whether he was just playing a romantic or actually trying to BE romantic.  
Malik sure thought he was joking. He bust out laughing right there, then proceeded to pat Dusty on the shoulder, as though saying 'That's enough, now let her go before she eats you alive.'  
Victoria just kind of whimpered, and pulled her hand away. To everyone's surprise, Dusty looked a little hurt. But then again, it was Dusty. He couldn't be hurt by something like that for very long.

Samus suddenly gasped in alarm. "Everyone, come here and look at this!" she ordered.  
The three team members all obeyed, crowding around and checking out the radar. There was a little green blip moving swiftly across the screen, and it looked like it was going to pass right by the ship in a matter of seconds.  
"What in da hell is it?" Malik wondered.  
"I have a feeling it's that pod we're looking for..."  
"You mean the one with 'The Seed' inside it?" Victoria asked.  
"If our assumptions are correct, then yes. Looks like we got here just in time. If it's really the pod we want, it'll reach Old Major's surface in less than ten minutes..."

Samus turned to Dusty, who looked kind of out of the loop, as usual. "Dusty!"  
"Who?!" he asked, bewildered.  
"Adjust the rearview mirror on the left-hand side and see if we can sight the object."

Dusty chuckled. "Pssh... Yes, Your Majesty!" He walked over to the rearview mirror control and adjusted it so they could see the object approaching from behind. Once Samus saw it, she ordered him to stop. She stepped closer to get a better look.  
Sure enough, it was a Space Pirate escape pod. And aboard must be none other than the sick-in-the-head Space Pirate that carried the now infamous 'Seed'. No doubt about it - their mission lay almost right outside their own spacecraft!

Samus wasted no time. "I'm going to stop it," she said. She ran to one side of the cockpit and opened a small compartment. Within was a long coil of tough, flexible wire with a harness at the end. She expertly equipped the harness and fastened it on tight. Then, grabbing her helmet, she ran for the airlock and made like she was prepared to open it.  
"Whoa, Samus! Slow down there, girl!" Malik exclaimed. "Whaddya think yo' doin'?"  
"Retrieving the Seed," she said matter-of-factly. "Everyone put on your helmets, stat. Malik, keep the Gunship steady. Dusty, Victoria, keep an eye out for the Orpheon, just in case."  
"Yes ma'am!" Malik saluted, his hand already on the steering wheel.  
"Can do, Your Majesty!" Dusty said.  
Victoria didn't look happy, though. She looked at Dusty with a grimace, then back at Samus. "I have to work with him?"  
Samus was about ready to speak, but the escape pod was already visible through the windshield now, and drew ever closer to frying up on Old Major's surface. All Samus could do was shrug and say, "I'm sorry."

Once she made sure that her three teammates had their helmets on, Samus threw open the airlock, and jumped up and out of the ship. Once she spotted the escape pod ahead, she bolted across the roof of the ship in its direction. And then, just as she stepped on the windshield, she kicked herself hard off it, and sent herself floating weightlessly through space right towards it. It was so fun yet so frightening at the same time. The fact that she was shooting right in the direction of a star didn't help things much. Once fracture in the wire, and she was as good as dead.

Thankfully, some higher power was aiding her flight. She speedily caught up to the escape pod, and just when she thought she might sail right over it, she managed to grab one of its fins and hold on. Looking back, she was surprised by how far she'd flown from her Gunship. There surely wasn't much spare wire left. If she delayed too long, she'd be stripped right off the top of the pod, and she'd surely lose it to the flames of Old Major. There was the option of removing her harness and carrying on without the safety of the tether, but that was an extremely risky move. Not only would she be at the total mercy of the currents of space, but then there'd also be nothing to save her from flying right into Old Major herself. Unless, of course, she could get into the pod and use the manual control to steer it back around, but she wondered if she even had time to do THAT...  
Decisions, decisions. Why are the life-and-death ones are always the most difficult?

With little time to think the situation through, Samus decided it was best to sever the link between her and her Gunship. It would give her the time and freedom she needed to get the job done. Keeping a firm hand on the fin of the pod, she used her other hand to undo the harness and slip it off her body. She watched as it flew off and began to drift independently in the currents of space. She was now completely without protection, and one misstep only meant good-bye for her. All she could depend on was her own grip and her own strength. This was difficult, however, since she was aboard a fast-moving craft headed straight for a burning star, and would reach said star in less than five minutes.  
Braving the resistance and speed, Samus crawled her way over to the hatch on the top of the pod. The heat of Old Major was unbearable. She could practically feel the water within her body being evaporated, and the temperature only climbed with each passing moment. Nonetheless, she pressed on. Just a few more inches, and she could reach the hatch and drop inside...

With her arm still tight around the pod's fin, Samus carefully lowered herself onto her belly, then reached her other arm forward and grabbed hold of the hatch. Once she did, she hesitantly released the fin, and quickly grabbed the hatch with her other hand. She then used all the strength in her arms to pull herself forward and on top of the hatch. She released one hand and used it to turn the handle that would open the way in. However, the handle was so tight. She couldn't twist it.

Samus looked up briefly at the red canvas of leaping flames ahead. It drew closer and closer, the wisps of fire reaching out to grab her and pull her into the inferno. Fearful of her fate, she began to grow desperate, borderline panicking. It was then that an adrenaline rush overcame her. She forcefully twisted the hatch's handle, ordering under her breath for it to obey her. Her fingers and forearm ached, but by some miracle, the handle began to move slightly. Feeling more hopeful, Samus doubled her efforts, which almost seemed impossible. The ball of red fire was so close as to be deadly right there. Had it not been for Samus's Varia Suit, she'd have been long since been killed by the heat.

Finally, the handle snapped into its open position, and the hatch door swung down inside. Samus tumbled rather ungracefully into the interior of the tiny craft. She quickly used the wall to hoist herself up, and to scope out the small area.  
It was then she saw him...

Unit 1206, the maniacal Space Pirate, laying against the back wall mere inches from her. The way his body slumped almost suggested he might have been sleeping not long ago. What an odd look he had on his face... It wasn't the face of pure, bloodthirsty hatred Samus usually knew from the Space Pirates. This face was almost... annoyed. And even a little bit sad. Had Samus woken him up? The face sure suggested it.  
Unit 1206 made a small whimper of agitation. Samus stepped back.  
The next thing he did was open his jaws...  
And begin to scream.  
His ear-splitting wails were coupled by a large amount of thrashing and flailing that made Samus believe he was having muscle spasms and severe psychosis. Strangely, it was the first time Samus really feared for her safety in the presence of a Space Pirate. He was clearly mad. There was no telling what he might do.  
Acting on instinct, Samus equipped her Ice Beam and fired it straight into the Pirate's torso. All the screaming and spasms stopped. He was encased in ice within a second. Acting on her second nature, Samus equipped her Missiles and got ready to fire and smash the mentally disturbed popsicle into submission.

But she caught herself just quick enough. She knew it was her mission to keep this Space Pirate and 'The Seed' within him alive. Having come this far, it would be awful to fail now. After all, Samus had never failed a mission, and she'd already established that this one wasn't going to be the first. Plus, the heat from Old Major's fire was already melting the icy shell around the Space Pirate. There was no way to tell how much longer he'd be frozen. This was a reminder to Samus that she needed to turn the craft around as soon as humanly possible.

Turning around, Samus could see the surface of the magnificent star was now nearer than ever. She could practically pinpoint the spot in the sea of superheated gas where the pod would make contact and sizzle up. There was no doubt less than a couple hundred feet between her and certain doom. In a panic, Samus bolted forward towards the manual controls and looked them over. Where was the steering mechanism? Of all things, a control panel had to have one of those! Was there at least a brake? Not one she could find. Oh, she couldn't find anything! What was she going to do?

A green button then caught her attention. It was labeled 'CTRL'. For 'Control', perhaps? At this point, anything was worth a try. Samus slammed the button, almost breaking it, and to her surprise, a small compartment flipped open. Out came what looked like a primitive video game controller with the words 'Nintendo GameCube' written on it. What in the cosmos was a 'GameCube'? Regardless, Samus had prior experience with game controllers before. She took it in her hands and, not entirely sure of herself, tilted the left analog stick to the left.  
Surprisingly, yet not so surprisingly, she felt the pod beginning to veer left.

Hoping to find a brake, Samus pressed the large button labeled 'A'.  
Her heart went into overdrive when she felt the craft begin to speed up. The fiery pit, it was zooming forth at full speed, and would engulf her in just seconds! Samus let out a scream, and in a last-ditch effort, pressed one last button - the red one labeled 'B'.  
The pod screeched to a halt

Confused for a second, Samus looked up at the window. The ocean of hungry flames, now mere yards away, was no longer rushing forward.  
She then looked down at the controller, and examined it once more. It was then she figured it out. A for accelerate, B for brake! Why hadn't she thought of that? She hated making stupid mistakes like that, especially when the answer was practically mooning her. But hey, she couldn't complain - she'd done it! She'd saved herself and 'The Seed' from Old Major's boiling wrath!

Samus would've loved to take a breather at that moment. However, the heat was driving her to faint, and Unit 1206 would thaw out soon if she didn't move it. Therefore, she tilted the left analog stick left some more until the pod did a full 180-degree turn. She then pressed down the 'A' button and began to head back for her Gunship. After having undone her harness, her teammates must have been very worried...

As Samus made her way out of the smoldering atmosphere of Old Major, she occasionally glanced back at Unit 1206 to make sure he was still smothered in his ice prison. As much as the ice had melted, she was reassured to see that he was still incapacitated when they finally escaped the heat. At last, she could rest easy. Or so she thought...

Looking out the windshield once more, Samus's relieved expression shifted to one of concern.  
Her Gunship... The Orphen was docked right next to it!  
But how?! There was no way the Space Pirates could have caught up so quickly! This was impossible!

How long had they been there? Had they just arrived? Or had they been there several minutes already? If the latter was the case, then what of her partners? They hadn't been captured, had they? Samus groaned at the thought. If they had been captured, she would have to rescue them herself. Such was one of the many reasons she dreaded ever having to work with others...

Samus steered the pod carefully and docked it next to her Gunship. All the while, she kept the corner of her eye on the deranged Space Pirate that lay slumped against the back wall, barely five feet behind her. Yes, there was still a sufficient layer of ice around him, but who knew how long it would really last, exactly? In reality, though, this Unit 1206 was only her second concern. Her FIRST concern was her companions. If the Orpheon was docked right next to her Gunship, it was very possible that they had been captured and taken back to the Orpheon. But for what? Because they now wanted 'The Seed' housed within the body of the crazed Pirate? Why would they change their minds so suddenly? Space Pirates... Gotta hate 'em.

Samus decided to step out of the pod and inspect her Gunship to see if her team was still in there. However, another issue popped up just as she was about to leave.  
The pod... If the Space Pirates really wanted 'The Seed', what was to stop them from simply jumping aboard and taking it back? Samus knew she needed to hide it somehow. But the only two spots she could think of were underneath her Gunship and underneath the Orpheon. These hiding places would probably get the job done, but Samus enjoyed being creative. There had to be something at her disposal that she could use...

Samus decided to tap a few buttons on the 'Nintendo GameCube' controller in front of her, just to see what might come about. The button labeled 'X' released the airbags, which inflated right up in Samus's visor. She shoved it out of the way and tried the button labeled 'R'. This made the heater turn on. Almost immediately, Samus heard the unmistakable noise of ice cracking split through the tiny cabin. She realized the heater was melting the ice off Unit 1206! She tried pressing it again, but that only increased the heat! In a fix, she finally tapped the button labeled 'Start/Pause'. This made everything go back to default, including the heater. She sighed with relief.

Taking one more chance, Samus tapped the button that was marked 'Y'...  
And was pleasantly surprised to see a cloaking device suddenly shift right over the entire pod. She could see herself standing on nothing in the middle of outer space! Why an escape pod would need a cloaking device was beyond her, but hey, when you get lucky, you're not supposed to ask questions.  
With this new development, Samus got another good idea. She would execute it when the time came. For now, though, she needed to get both her and Unit 1206, or rather 'Scythe' as they supposedly nicknamed him, out of the pod and into her Gunship. She hoped her teammates were OK in there as well. Not so much that she worried for their safety, but more that she would be in serious trouble with the Federation if they were to get hurt...

Lugging the heavy, ice-coated Space Pirate on her back, Samus dropped into the cabin of her Gunship. Right away, she called out, "Hello!! Victoria? Malik? Dusty? Are any of you here?"  
She began to feel anxious when she got no reply. In such a small ship they should've heard her call. What if they really had been captured? Oh, that would not be good. However, if her teammates were in the Orpheon, that must've meant that there were no Space Pirates aboard her Gunship. She could take advantage of that by hiding Scythe somewhere until she could actually make good use of him. Samus examined the insectoid creature mounted on her back. The ice... It was melting quickly. She swore she felt the twitching of his legs muscles on her back as she walked. She needed to get him somewhere cold. Just cold enough so he would stay frozen...  
The refrigerator!

Samus scurried into the tiny kitchen room and approached the refrigerator. While using one hand to keep the Pirate's body balanced on her back, she used her other hand to grab the handle. With a considerable boost of strength, she threw open the door.  
What she saw inside surprised her so much she dropped the frozen Pirate-cicle right off her back, where it landed with a CRASH!  
"Malik?!"

Indeed, there was Malik, hunched up in the refrigerator, shivering like a big Chihuahua. He nearly screamed when Samus threw open the door, but when he realized who it was, his frozen blue lips curved into a smile. "Ms S-Samus! H-hi! H-how ya d-doin'?"  
"...Malik, what in the universe are you doing in the refrigerator?!"  
Malik graciously rolled out of the icebox and into the room. He seemed to begin thawing out right away, but he was still shaking badly. "Oh Samus, it was crazy! Right after you went to stop dat pod, da Orpheon came and da Space Pirates came all a. Ya know if dey's alright, Samus?"  
Samus shook her head. "I don't think so, Malik. They're not on board the Gunship. They can only be on the Orpheon. Whether they're being held hostage or kicking Space Pirate butt in there, I don't know. Knowing those two, though, I'd say it's the former."  
"Yeeah, prolly," Malik agreed.  
"Why did you hide, anyway? You're supposed to be the brave war veteran, and you're hiding in a refrigerator?!"  
"Heh... Sorry Ms Samus. Iss just, I gets a little jumpy sometimes, ya know?"  
"Oh, whatever. We'd better go save those two before I... I mean, WE get in trouble."  
"Sure thing, Miss! I promise not to be jumpy dis time!"  
"Good. Watch my back, OK Malik?"  
"Yes ma'am. By the way, dere's a Space Pirate right behind you."

Samus's eyes opened wide. She quickly turned around, and saw Scythe standing mere inches in front of her!No... he wasn't standing. He was sitting on his knees and looking up at her...  
With a strange essence filling his eyes...  
Evil. Pure evil.

Samus wasted no time. She equipped her Ice Beam and fired another blast right into the chest. Scythe was a Pirate-cicle once again.  
Malik pouted his bottom lip and nodded. "Daaaamn Samus, you's a quick shot. One sec you're doin' one thang, and the next you gots da guy frozen. How you move so fast? You like a... a... whass that really fast animal? A giraffe o sumthin'..."  
"Thanks Malik, but now's no the time," she told him, lifting the ice-encased body. "Help me get him in the refrigerator. Then we'll get to rescuing Dusty and Victoria."  
"But Samus, what in da name o' mercy do dose Space Pirates WANTS?"  
"The question isn't really 'what', but 'why'...?"  
"Oh, yeah yeah yeah yeah... Umm, but I still don't got the 'what' part mehself..."  
"Oh, never mind. Let's just get moving!"

After Scythe was safely stashed away in the fridge, Samus and Malik prepared for the rescue mission. It seemed strange that all this conflict would happen over a ball of light with seemingly no origin. Whatever it was, or whatever it was 'The Seed' of, there was no doubt that it housed an unbelievable amount of significance to the future of the universe...

Samus and Malik exited the Gunship and hopped over to the Orpheon's space deck. Malik needed a bit of assistance, but he was able to wheel his way over just fine. Once outside the door, they got ready to infiltrate the vessel for the second time. Hopefully, they would actually accomplish their goal this time around.  
"Aw man, I can't believe we already doin' dis AGIN!"  
"I know, Malik, it's frustrating. It will be quick, though. I promise."  
"What? Naw, I'm sayin' iss COOL dat we're doin' dis agin! I like fightin' wid you, Samus! Iss like a, uhh... uuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh... a honor!"  
"Oh, thank you."  
"You're welcome, miss!"  
"OK, OK, enough small talk. Let's go on in. Got your pistol ready?"  
"Always!"  
"Good. Let's go..."

Samus fired her Power Beam at the door, causing it to open. She and Malik both readied their weapons and prepared to fire into the corridor. To their surprise, though, there were no Space Pirates down the corridor to shoot. With the lack of security at this door, the duo walked down the halls of the vessel. Nowhere along the way did and Space Pirates attempt to attack or seize them, because in fact, they didn't see any at all. The corridors were all void of life, and every corner yielded no surprises. Samus herself was a tad disappointed.  
"Hmm... That's odd. No Space Pirates guarding the door to the docking bay?"  
"Maybe dey's, uh... havin' some sorta meeting, or sumthin'. Ya know, like a gathering o' some sort."  
"...I suppose it's possible, but still, it's not like the Space Pirates to have meetings that require the presence of everyone, including security forces. That is, unless it was over a VERY important matter."  
Samus and Malik stood there in silence for a moment, both just thinking.  
A thought then came to Malik. "Think it might be about Dusty and Victoria?"  
"That's what I was thinking," Samus declared. "If I had to guess, I'd say the Space Pirates are likely inquiring those two about 'The Seed'..."  
"The Seed? Wait a minute, hold up - Isn't 'The Seed' inside that wack Space Pirate?"  
"That's what we believe, yes."

"...And didn't da other Space Pirates put 'im in an escape pod and sent him flyin' towards dat star over dere?"  
"According to their record, yes."  
"...So dat means they wanted to get RID of 'The Seed', ain't dat right?"  
"Seems logical, yes."  
"...OK, so then why the HELL would they suddenly want it back?!"  
Samus let out an exasperated sigh. "Trust me Malik, I've been wondering about that. A lot."

Samus and Malik continued through the Orpheon's barren hallways, just waiting for an ambush to pop out and ensnare them. The longer they walked, though, the less tense Samus seemed to become. It eventually reached a point where she no longer even held her Arm Cannon in fire position anymore. Malik, on the other hand, seemed to grow more and more tense with every meter he rolled. He was so anxious he began aiming around corners before they got anywhere near them. He even aimed around a couple that didn't even exist. Samus couldn't blame him. With such a meek weapon as a defense pistol, he had a good reason to be nervous.

Finally, after several minutes of walking, the duo reached the end of the line - the research lab.  
And it was in here that they found every Space Pirate aboard the ship, gathered around something of interest in the middle of the room. There must have been at least fifty of them.  
And sure enough, the objects of interest in the center of the crowd were Dusty and Victoria. So they were safe!  
...Or perhaps not.

Samus flattened her back against the wall to prevent being seen. She grabbed Malik by the shoulder and roughly wheeled him into a spot right next to her. They both listened intently to the meeting at hand.  
"Humans..." announced a deep, raspy voice, undoubtedly belonging to a Space Pirate. "You have come with the great Samus Aran, have you not?"  
"Heheh... You Space Pirate guys are funny. It's especially funny how you all speak English. Why do you all speak English? I would think you spoke some sort of weird alien language, like 'Piratese' or something. I dunno, it's just the weirdest thing! I just never knew you could speak English! Never woulda guessed. Honest!"  
"...Oh, really? What, did you think it was just a coincidence that we write all of our Pirate Logs in English?"  
"Well, that last one wasn't. It was written in animal symbols. Looked like something a 6-year-old girl with ADD would draw."  
"URRGH! Do you ever shut up, you mongrel?"  
"If you pay me, maybe. 5 bucks for 5 minutes of silence outta me. Group discounts for 60 or more."  
"...What's your name, human?"  
"Dusty, your Highness. Dusty Atticus. And you must be Buddy Tiffleton. And they guy right behind you must be Uncle Fungus. Hey Uncle Fungus!"  
"...ENOUGH! I am not Buddy Tiffleton. I am Unit 1013, pilot of the Orpheon. And that guy's not named Uncle Fungus. He's Unit 9027, but we call him Murphy... Anyway, that's beyond the point! I will ask you again, did you or did you not come here with the great Samus Aran!"  
"What?"  
"Did you come here with Samus Aran!?"  
"Who?"  
"Samus Aran!"  
"What's that?" "It's not a question of 'what'. It's 'who'!"  
"Who?"  
"Samus Aran!"  
"What about her?"  
"Did you arrive with her or not!"  
"With who?"  
"GAAAAAHHHH!!"  
"...Who's that?"

Unit 1013 fell silent. Samus was just waiting for him to give the signal to all the surrounding Pirates to jump Dusty and let the bloodbath commence. Samus almost found herself wishing that would happen. Just a small bit...  
However, Unit 1013 bit his tongue. For one reason or another, he wanted Dusty alive. It was clear that he wanted nothing more to do with him, though. It was to that end that he turned to Victoria

Victoria was looking down at the ground and shaking badly. She looked up slightly to see Unit 1013 approaching. When she did, she quickly looked back down again and shuddered.  
"Human..." he said menacingly. "You appear much weaker than you're obnoxious friend. I do believe I'll take advantage of this."  
Victoria only responded with a whimper that she failed to hide.  
Unit 1013 grunted. "Indeed, you are weak. You must be a female!"

All the Space Pirates in the room exploded in evil, maniacal laughter that filled the room like a flash flood. Samus could feel her body heating up with rage at that comment. How idiotic these beings were... in such a short time, did they already forget that their greatest threat - Samus herself - was female? Stupid comments such as that did not sit well with her. She was hungry for some action.

"I'm going to ask you one question, and I'm going to ask only once," Unit 1013 said, closing in on the frightened Victoria. "...Was The Seed's path to Old Major interrupted?"  
Victoria looked up into the beast's insect eyes for only a second, then looked back down again. The fact is, she didn't know. She had watched Samus jump towards the pod and remove her harness, but it was only seconds after that the Space Pirates had arrived to take her and Dusty hostage. Whether Samus was able to bring 'The Seed' back to safety or not was unknown to her. Therefore, she remained quiet.

Unit 1013, however, mistook her ignorance for disobedience. "So, you think you can hide the truth, do you? Well, I think we've already established that you're weak and frail, no matter how strong you think you can be. That begs the question, how strong DO you think you are? Let's put that to the test, shall we?"  
He clapped his hands. A few moments later, a Space Pirate scout came running over with a small metal box. Unit 1013 took the box in his hands, showed the scout off, and took another step towards Victoria. He then carefully opened the lid and reached inside.  
When Victoria saw what was inside, she choked on her own scream

It was a Metroid. A sluggish Metroid, cold-contained as to hinder its ability to fly, yet with life-sucking jaws still perfectly intact.

Victoria's eyes grew wide as the squealing parasite was held close to her body. She began to back up quickly, but was seized at each shoulder by two Space Pirates. They used their strong claws to remove the section of her blue Bounty Hunter suit that covered her torso. Unit 1013 proceeded to aim the Metroid's sharp mandibles right at her stomach and slowly move them forward.  
"Tell us what it is we need to know!!" he ordered. "Or you'll have your life sucked right out of your belly button!"

"I don't know!!" Victoria cried between sobs. "I didn't see! You captured us before I could see! I DON'T KNOW!!"  
"Feigning ignorance, are we? Let's see how much longer you can keep that up!" He quickly shoved the Metroid forward until the very tips of its fangs had pierced nearly half an inch into her stomach.  
Victoria screamed and exploded into tears. The Metroid squirmed with delight, and the surrounding Space Pirates went into an uproar, almost as though they were cheering. It was a truly sickening sight.  
Dusty's face became filled with concern for probably the first time in his life. "Hey, leave her alone!! She's right! We really don't know anything! That's just cruel!"  
"You shut up!" Unit 1013 threatened, "Or you'll lose your life force through your groin!"  
"Fair enough," Dusty replied nonchalantly, though it was clear he was still praying for Victoria.

Samus and Malik watched the scene from around the corner. Unit 1013 ripped the Metroid's jaws out of Victoria's stomach and ordered her once again to answer. When she again replied that she didn't know, he moved the Metroid in for another dose of Victoria's life force.  
Seeing poor Victoria being tortured by Metroid with several hollering Space Pirates surrounding her was just awful. Samus's first mission had been far worse, for sure, but she still couldn't help but feel sorry for Victoria. This scene really showed how "high and mighty" the Space Pirates were. Torturing such a frail girl... Why couldn't they be smart and torture Dusty? If he annoyed the Space Pirates nearly as much as he annoyed Samus, he'd have been mutilated by now.

"Yo Samus, what're we gonna do?!" Malik asked pleadingly. "Victoria don't know dat you saved da Seed thang!"  
"I know..." Samus replied, deep in thought. She was trying to think about what they should do, but she couldn't take her sweet time.  
"Should we bust up inta dat joint and step on some caps?"  
"...What??"  
"Uhh... should we fight, o' sumthin'...?"  
"I'd love to, but we shouldn't. There's too many. Even if you and I survived, there's no telling whether Victoria or Dusty would. The Federation needs them alive."  
"Den what are ya supposin' we do?!"  
"Never thought I say it, but... diplomacy."  
"Diplomacy? Ya mean like, TALK to 'em?"  
"They don't mean to kill us. They only want information on where 'The Seed' is. It's like a code among the Space Pirates - if we tell them what they need to know, they will let us go.""Oh... but you ain't really gonna tell 'em, are ya? Samus? Hey, S-Samus?!"  
But Samus was already around the corner and walking into the room.

Unit 1013 smiled with glee as he gazed upon Victoria's tear-filled face. Her heavy panting breaths was music to his ears. "Ready to speak yet, woman?"  
Victoria was already feeling weak from her loss of energy. Anymore drained from her body and she swore she would faint. By this point, she would've admitted the truth, had she known it. She was just afraid she might give them wrong information. If she did, the Space Pirates would definitely kill her. She did not know what to do...

Unit 1013 prepared for another torturing assault on Victoria.  
"You look pretty pleased with yourself, Mr Pilot," Dusty suddenly called out to him. "Tell me, are you doing what you're doing because you really need this info, or just because you like seeing girls in pain, huh?"  
Unit 1013 turned to him, holding the Metroid forth. "...I do need this information. We all do. Additionally, in case you're completely braindead, you should know that we Space Pirates hope to become the dominant race in the galaxy, surpassing even you humans. It's because of this that we tend to find pleasure in making other species feel weak and inferior."  
All the Pirates shouted in agreement.  
"Oh... So you're a buncha power-hungry stooges, eh? Yup, as the good book says, 'pride goeth before a fall'. Hope ya'll fall straight into Hell and land on your nuts."

Unit 1013 just sneered and turned back to Victoria. "Hopefully NOW you remember The Seed's fate?"  
Victoria didn't reply.  
Unit 1013 grunted and got ready to poke the Metroid's mandibles into her abdomen again. Victoria squeezed her eyes shut and prepared for more stinging pain.  
"Ya know!" Dusty blurted aloud, "Samus Aran is the one who went out to get The Seed when it flew by. Why don't you numbskulls just ask her?!"  
"Sure," called a confident female voice from the edge of the room, "Why don't you?"

All the Space Pirates turned towards the source of the voice, and there stood Samus Aran herself, The Hunter loathed and feared by them all.  
"It's the Hunter!" one cried.  
"Kill her!" shouted another.  
"SHE'S GOT A GUN!!" another called.  
Almost every single Pirate drew their lasers and aimed them directly at her. However, Unit 1013 was quick to order everyone to hold their fire.

"Samus Aran..." he said in a cool manner. His attention on Dusty and Victoria was lost at that moment, so he took the Metroid away. "It's a pleasure."  
"Whose pleasure?" she asked curiously.  
"Mine, of course! Quite an honor to meet the woman who threatens to bring our race to extinction and that MIGHT actually reach that goal."  
"Oh, is it?"  
"Through my eyes, yes. And I'm sure everyone else agrees. Isn't that right, my brothers?"  
The Space Pirates in the room all kind of moaned and shrugged, not exactly agreeing. If anything, they just wanted to blow the tar out of her with their lasers.  
"So," Samus continued, keeping her gun by her side to show she hadn't come for combat. "Is there something you needed to ask me?"  
"Yes, Mrs. Aran..."

"MISS Aran, if you don't mind."  
"Ah, right. MISS Aran... You know of the mysterious entity that entered the body of one of our top generals, isn't that right? The so-called 'Seed'?"  
"Yes. My squad and I stole some records from your ship and learned all about it."  
"Oh, so that IS why you stopped by earlier today. We thought that was the case."  
"I suppose so. It also occurred to us that you didn't much care for this entity because you felt the need to stuff him into a pod and send him hurtling towards a burning star."  
Unit 1013 seemed a bit taken aback. "Is that what you believe? Well, I suppose it might seem that way from the outer perspective... In any case, you're seeking The Seed as well, correct?"  
"Yes, we are."  
"Why's that?"  
"You obviously don't want me knowing what YOU plan to do with it. Why should I tell you OUR intentions? If you want to know, tell us why you need it so much."  
"I will not tell."  
"Then neither will I."

The crowd began to mutter and chat amongst themselves. Unit 1013 had a look of concern on his face. As if Space Pirate faces were even capable of showing emotion.  
He then nodded in agreement. "That is fine. Just tell us what you know of its location at this moment in time. Did you recover it from its death course towards Old Major? We took a shortcut through a wormhole in order to hopefully beat it here. Has it arrived yet, do you know?"  
"...Yes," Samus replied. "As a matter of fact, the reason you didn't find me in my Gunship during your raid not long ago is because I was out trying to stop it myself."

Unit 1013's face became filled with an unmeasurable amount of confusion. Samus herself was surprised by the sense of urgency in his features. "Oh my..." he muttered. "The pod... It already...?!"  
"Burned on the surface of Old Major?" Samus finished for him. "No, no. You needn't worry. You see, whoever aimed and fired that escape pod out is clearly a complete bonehead. You see, the pod was actually off-course by several miles. It flew right PAST Old Major!"

The wild look of confusion in Unit 1013's eyes was quickly replaced by anger. All of the Pirates expressed this anger as well.  
"It flew PAST Old Major?!"  
"That's right. I would have stayed with it, but I was afraid to get too far away from my Gunship, so I returned. Had you not arrived and interfered, I could have seized The Seed by now."  
"Ah, and it's a good thing we didn't let you! The last thing we would want is for YOU to get your hands on The Seed."  
Samus was puzzled by this. "Why is that?"  
"We've already gone over this," Unit 1013 replied with a grin. "We each keep our motives to ourselves."  
"...Yes, we did agree to that."

Unit 1013 placed the sluggish Metroid back into its metal box. "Well, you seem trustworthy, Samus Aran. However, how can I be sure you're not trying to trick us somehow? After all, by breaking into our ship and stealing those logs, and then coming out here to wait for The Seed to arrive, you've already proven that you hope to keep our plans from coming to fruition. How can I be sure the pod hasn't even arrived yet?"

"Well," Samus stated modestly, "There's always the possibility that it's already burned on Old Major's surface."

Unit 1013 simply shook his head. "No, Ms Aran. If that had happened, we would be aware of it by now." There was an ominous quality in his speech. Samus decided is wasn't worth it to question, but she remained wary nonetheless. "Now tell me," he ordered once more. "How can I know you are not lying to me? To us?"  
All the Space Pirates in the room snarled and ordered her to give an answer.

Samus was a long time in thinking. The Space Pirates expressed an abnormal amount of patience in waiting. Victoria and Dusty waited in silence, too, as did Malik, who was still in hiding. This was no easy task for Samus, since the obvious penalty for lying to the Space Pirates - and having them find out the lie - was death.  
At last, Samus came to a decision.  
"You may keep one member of my team of your choice on your ship as you look for The Seed. If any evidence says I'm lying, you may kill them."

The crowd of Space Pirates seemed amazed by this. Victoria's eyes went wide with surprise. Dusty raised an eyebrow. Malik let out an almost audible "WHAAAT!?"  
Unit 1013 seemed accepting of this offer. "That seems fair. However, great Samus Aran, I'm surprised you're leaving the choice up to us as opposed to simply volunteering to be the hostage yourself. Putting your teammates in danger like that... shows how much you care."  
"It's part of the deal," Samus assured him. "The choice is yours. Make it, and allow the other three to leave quietly. We will not interfere with your plans again."  
Unit 1013 scratched his chin, pondering over which member of this Bounty Hunter team would make the best prisoner. This was going to be a fun decision to make...!

Unit 1013 was a long time in making his choice. He looked from Victoria, to Dusty, and to Samus over and over, pondering over which would make the best hostage. Given, there was one member of their team he hadn't seen, but it didn't matter. In the end, he eventually made a choice that he believed couldn't be any better.  
"Samus Aran," he declared.  
"Oh, have you decided?" she asked.  
"I have," he assured her.  
"Whew!" Dusty exclaimed. "About time, eh? I was about to die of old age!"  
Victoria said nothing, as she was still aching after her torture session. She knew what was happening, though, and apprehensively awaited the Pirate's next words.

Unit 1013 extended his hand and pointed his finger at a wall. He then slowly swept it around, like a roulette wheel in slow motion. His finger passed over Dusty, who clenched his fist triumphantly afterwards. His finger then passed over Victoria, who looked so relieved she might have started crying again.  
His finger then moved towards Samus...  
And came to a stop.  
"You, Samus Aran!" he announced. "We want YOU to be our hostage! Isn't that right, brothers?"  
Every Space Pirate in the room went wild with hoots and hollers. Samus herself looked around, seemingly a tad worried. She overcame it, though, and bowed her head. "I did give you the choice. If it's me you want, so be it."

"You're damn right we want you!" Unit 1013 said gleefully. "Our sworn enemy, Samus Aran... at OUR mercy! And not only that, but you did so voluntarily! Oh, this day will go down in the history books!"  
"Well, technically, I didn't willingly choose to be your hostage. YOU did."  
"Shut up, Aran! You're ruining the glory of this moment!" All the other Pirates agreed and went into an uproar. They sure enjoyed knowing that the sworn enemy of their race was now theirs!

"Yes, very good. Very good..." Unit 1013 said almost to himself. "Now, to begin planning how we're going to murder you!"  
"Don't let the fact that I'm at the tip of your gun get to your head, you imbecile. That goes for ALL of you. Remember our deal - if you find The Seed, you have to let me go."  
Unit 1013 cringed, but meagerly nodded. "...Yes, I remember. BUT, the time frame will be three days. If we don't find it by then, we reserve the right to do whatever we want with you. Is that clear, Samus?"  
"If that's what you propose, it's fine with me."  
"Very well. Any last requests before we send your friends off so you can cower alone within the depths of our vessel?"  
"Just one..." Samus said, looking over at Victoria and Dusty. "Let me have a bit of time to speak with my partners before you send them off."

Unit 1013 scratched his chin, as though not sure whether to grant Samus what she asked for. He eventually decided, though, that he may as well. It very well could have been her last request, and even the Space Pirates believed it was immoral to deny such a wish.  
"You have five minutes. Make sure you say your good-byes, just in case!"  
Samus just smirked at his attempt to sound evil. "Sure. Thanks."

The crowd of Space Pirates parted two paths for Dusty and Victoria to walk through so they could reach Samus. Samus called for Malik to come out from within the corridor so he could join the discussion. Once all four were grouped up, Unit 1013 ordered for all the nearby Pirates to back up and give them their privacy. The four huddled and spoke.  
"Victoria," Samus began, "Are you OK?"  
"Y-yeah..." Victoria shakingly replied. "I feel really s-sleepy, though..."  
"It's a natural side-effect of a Metroid bite. Get some rest and you'll be fine." She turned to Malik. "Malik, have you been listening to what's been happening."  
"Yeah, most of it, I think. I heard someone was gonna be a hostage fo' da Space Pirates o' sumthin'..."  
"That's right."  
"Right! So, uhh... who's da hostage, den?"  
"Pssh! Who else but Samus, ya Looney Toon?" Dusty butt in.  
"WHAT?! Samus, why ya doin' dat?"  
"Let the others explain to you while you're on your way back to Galactic Federation. Can you two do that?"  
Victoria and Dusty both nodded.  
"Good. I'm counting on you guys. I'm still a little on the fence about working with partners, but maybe you can sway my opinion if you do this right."  
"No problemo, Samusemo!" Dusty exclaimed. "Let's just hope those Space Pirates find which way Old Major slingshotted The Seed, or they'll be eatin' you for dinner!"  
"Oh, that's right. I forgot to tell you - the pod that was carrying The Seed didn't really miss Old Major."  
Dusty and Victoria both gasped. "WHAT?!" they asked in unison.  
"That's right. I managed to get aboard and steer it back to the Gunship. Then Malik and I stored the Pirate's body in the refrigerator."  
Victoria's mouth hung open in confusion. "But Samus, if The Seed's really on the Gunship... Samus, that deal you made with the Pirates... Why did you do that?! They're going to kill you!"  
"Geez Samus, I always knew you were crazy, but not like, CRAZY crazy."  
"Don't worry about me," Samus assured them. "You all just worry about getting The Seed back to the GF headquarters. Let Mr Vapor know that The Seed is out of the Space Pirates' reach. Is that clear?"  
"Sho' thing, Samus," Malik said. "But what about you? Should we tell him yo' bein' held hostage by da Pirates?"  
"No," was all Samus said.  
"But why not?" Victoria wondered.  
"Because I think that while I'm here, I can do some info-pillaging as to what The Seed really is and why the Space Pirates need it. We won't get another opportunity like this, so it's best not to get the GF involved. I've got my cell phone on, so I'll call if there's trouble. And, if worse comes to worst, I can escape myself. There are more escape pods I can use."  
"Well then what SHOULD we tell them when they ask why you didn't return with us?" Victoria asked.  
Samus didn't have an answer ready for that question, nor did she have time to think of one. "I don't know," was all she said.  
"Running out of time!" Unit 1013 shouted with a snicker.

"Whoa, now hold up a minute, Samus!" Dusty chimed, "I thought our mission was just to get The Seed back to the Federation, and that was it. Done. Over. Nada mas. Why should we care what The Seed is or why the Pirates have got a boner for it?"  
"Because, Dusty," Samus said, "I've got a feeling the mission isn't going to be so easy. Whatever The Seed is, I can already tell that its importance is beyond us, and that it could very well be linked to the fate of the universe."  
There was an ominous silence after that, as all of Samus's partners let those words sink in.  
"And... how do you know DAT?" Malik wondered.

"TIME'S UP!" Unit 1013 screeched. "The time for talk is over. Let's take the Hunter Samus Aran to her quarters. Deck Patrol squadron, show the other three out the door, and make sure they don't pull any funny stuff!"  
Without any objections or attempts to fight back, Samus was led into a dark corridor by a raging, excited crowd of Pirates and soon disappeared within the depths of the vessel. Malik, Dusty, and Victoria were led out to Samus's Gunship by the Deck Patrol squadron. They didn't make any resistance attempts either, for they were all trusting that Samus knew what she was doing.

Of course she did. She was Samus Aran!...


	3. Part 2

As Malik piloted the Gunship away from the Orpheon, Victoria gazed out the window towards it. She had a look of hopelessness on her face.  
"I hope Samus will be OK..." she said aloud.  
Dusty just laughed. "Oh, don't worry your cute little self, Vicki! She can take care of herself!" He crept up until he was right behind her and staring down upon her veil of dark hair. "Ya know, if you get too worried, Dusty's always here to make it better!"  
Victoria jumped a little and nearly screamed when she heard Dusty's voice so close behind her. She whipped around and stared at his goofy smile. Her own face had morphed into one of half annoyance and half fear. If Dusty had to guess, the fear part was taking over.  
"I wish that Pirate had chosen YOU instead..." Victoria said quietly.  
Dusty's smile faded.  
But only for a second. It didn't take long for his toothy grin to spread back across his face.  
That grin made Victoria burn up inside, yet it also made her feel a very profound anxiety. She hated it. It was hard for Dusty to notice this look of daggers, though, when he was staring into the most beautiful face he'd ever hope to see. "Aw, you don't mean that. You meant to say you love me, ain't that right? Huh? Haha!"  
Victoria just shook her head, closed her eyes, and shoved him out of the way. She walked hastily into the berth room, leaving Dusty to stand there like the fool he was. She could be seen fingering her medal of merit as she disappeared through the door.

"Geez, what's up her butt?" he asked to no one in particular.  
"Man, you is seriously messed up in da head, ya know dat?" Malik asked, still piloting the ship. "Do you even realize dat Samus is riskin' her life fo' dis mission?"  
"She risks her life on ALL her missions!" Dusty pointed out. "She's like a magnet for trouble! I don't feel sorry for her."  
"Still man, you needs ta get with the program. Ya take one look at Victoria and ya suddenly forget dat we's on a real important job. Could you just keep yo snake in yo pants and do what you been asked to do?"  
"Oh, great. You're starting to sound like Samus... You really ARE a woman, you know that?!"  
"Man, shut up! I know mo' about gettin' women dan YOU! Hell, if this was a contest, while you'd be tryin' to win Victoria, I'd alREADY have both Victoria AND Samus in bed wit me! Yeah!"  
"Oh, so you're challenging me, huh?"  
"What?! Naw! I was just sayin' IF. Look man, if ya want Victoria, I'll give you da advice you need. But first, let's get dis Seed thang to da Federation and find some way ta git Samus outta trouble. Dat cool?"  
"Pssh... Haven't we gone over this, big guy?"  
"Ohhh, yeeeah. Dat's right - you ain't gonna take no love advice from a black man dat ain't got no legs. That right?"  
"Bingo! But no, what I really mean by that statement is, don't worry about me and my interests. I can handle myself, OK?"  
"Well, a'ight. Whatevah you say..."  
"Yupperz. Speaking of which, where's The Seed at again?"  
"In the 'fridgedator."  
"...Should we like, maybe, I dunno... possibly... let it out?"

Malik froze for a second, seemingly by fear of the consequences of such an action. He then turned his head towards Dusty slowly. "...Let 'im out??"  
"Well, sure!" Dusty said with a chuckle. "I mean, we've gotta deliver this guy alive, right? How can we be sure he'll survive the flight to the GF in the freezing cold like that?"  
"Ahh, I dunno, Dusty. He might be kinda, uhh... dangerous."  
"So what if he's a little nuts? I'm a little nuts, and I'M not dangerous, am I?"  
Malik just said nothing and continued to stare at Dusty. Dusty just gave an exasperated sigh. "Whatever. I don't care what anybody else thinks. That poor Pirate needs some fresh air."  
Malik just shrugged. "Weeell, alright man. You can be da Guinea Pig if ya want. I reckon if you die, I'll know it ain't safe! Plus, I bet Victoria and Samus'll be happy! Haha!"  
"Stop hurting my feelings like that!" Dusty remarked sarcastically. He walked through the door from the cockpit into the small kitchen.

He stood front of the refrigerator and examined it. "HEY VICKI!" he called out, hoping to get her attention.  
There was no reply.  
_"_VICKIII!!" he called once again.  
"_Who are you calling for??" _finally came the reply.  
"Who do you think?!" he shouted. "YOU!"  
_"I'm sorry, but my name's not Vicki! You must mean someone else!"  
_"Geez, why you gotta be such a pill...?" Dusty muttered to himself. "VICTORIA!!"  
_"...What do you want, Dusty??"_  
"I'm about to let the crazy Space Pirate out of his cold-contained prison! Wanna see?!"  
_"Um, no thank you! I've been terrorized by one cold-contained monster today already, thanks!"  
_"Ya sure?! I think it's gonna be a lot of fun!"  
_"Dusty, I'm really tired from having part of my soul sucked out of me! Could you give me a break?!"  
_"Step right up and see the wild, wondrous, possibly dangerous MENTAL SPACE PIRATE!!" Dusty announced like a ring master. "You won't believe your eyes! All ticket sales final, no refunds, batteries not included."  
_"Dusty, please...!"_  
"Aw, c'mon Vicki!" Dusty practically pleaded. "My life could be in real danger right now and I don't wanna be alone!"  
_"Shows how stupid you are, then!"_  
"PLEASE?!"

There was no reply for a very long time. Dusty had just about given up hope of convincing her to come out and join him. Not that it was a really wondrous occasion. Dusty wasn't exactly sure why he wanted Victoria there. He just wanted it.  
At long last, the doors opened, and Victoria walked out, still holding her medal, and looking very sleepy. "...If I do this..." she mumbled, "...Will you promise to not bother me ever again? Even after the mission is over?"  
"Ehhh... I'll think about it," Dusty joked. "Now come on over here!"  
"Samus would probably Super Missile your testicles if she knew what you were planning..." Victoria said, approaching slowly.  
"Well, she ain't here, is she?" Dusty asked. He had his hand on the refrigerator door and was ready to throw it open.  
"Taking advantage of the fact that she's imprisoned? Pitiful..." Victoria muttered. She then looked at Dusty with a very serious expression. "Dusty, please know this... If you open that door, and I get hurt in any way, I will never forgive you. Do you hear me?"

Dusty was daunted by Victoria's serious tone. For a girl that was always so meek and quiet, this was a side of her that he never thought he'd see. He kind of liked it, to be honest, but he heeded her threat.  
"Don't worry, Vicki. I'd take a stab in the heart for you, baby!"

Back in the control room, Malik began to laugh his ass off.  
Victoria just sighed and pulled out her pistol. "Just open it, please."

Dusty nodded and prepared. He gripped the handle tightly, just wondering what horrors might lay on the other side of that door. What might leap out and strike... and possibly end his life, as well that of those around him. It was a scary thought, but his curiosity far outweighed his fear. Without anymore delay, he pulled hard and the refrigerator door swung open.  
Dusty and Victoria jumped back in alarm when the body tumbled out. The Space Pirate Unit 1206, Scythe, once crumpled uncomfortably inside the icebox, now lay on the floor in front of them, glazed in ice. He appeared unconscious.  
But not for long. With a twitch of the jaw and a movement of the leg, he began to stir ever so slightly. Both stared in wonder, pondering what might happen next...

And what happened next was very much unexpected. The beast opened its mouth...  
And let out an ear-rattling scream.  
He began to thrash his limbs around wildly, threatening to slash the pair to pieces with the sharp claws on all four limbs.  
Dusty and Victoria threw themselves backwards against the wall to stay a safe distance, but they wondered how safe they would be. Even with just two seconds to judge, it was easy to tell...  
This Pirate was dangerous.

Scythe squealed and swung his arms and legs about once again. His horrid wails echoed throughout the Gunship and challenged everyone's eardrums.  
_"WWWWAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!"_  
Malik came zooming in to see what was happening. "Man, what da HELL is goin' on in here?" When he saw the deranged Pirate writhing on the ground, he gawked and backed up quickly. "Whoa! Sweet mother o' mercy!" The next thing he noticed was Dusty and Victoria, against the wall, staring down at the raving monster with wide eyes. "DUSTY!" he shouted over the Pirate's incessant screaming, "I TOLD YOU LETTIN' DAT THING OUT WAS A BAD IDEA!!"  
"SHUT UP! NO YOU DIDN'T!!" Dusty shouted back. "YOU SAID THAT I COULD BE THE GUINEA PIG!!"  
"GUYS!! WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITH IT?!" Victoria asked in desperation.  
"YEAH DUSTY!! YOU DA ONE WHO LET 'IM OUT!! DO SOMETHIN'!!"  
"LIKE WHAT?! ROCK HIM TO SLEEP?! I AIN'T TOUCHING THIS THING!!"

In his fit of rage, one of Scythe's sharps swept outstretched and slashed Victoria's ankle. It breached her armor, and the wound began to bleed immediately. A yelp of pain escaped her throat, but she was too afraid to bend down and nurse the cut. "DUSTY," she screamed, "DO SOMETHING! NOW!!"  
"BUT WHAT!? YOU GUYS GOTTA HELP ME OUT!!"  
"I DUNNO," Malik shouted, "SOMETHIN' YO GOOD AT!"  
"ANNOYING PEOPLE?!"  
"UHH, YEAH! SHO'! ANNOY HIM TO DEF!!"

Dusty was in such a panic that he didn't even think twice about what exactly he was doing. Staring down at the raving beast, he began to spew out random crap.  
"Hey, Scythe! You know something really funny? Why do we have abbreviation for the word 'at', huh? Are we that lazy that we need to abbreviate such a small word? And what's with these 'Got Milk?' ads? Do they think the general public doesn't know what milk is? Most of us drink it when were tit-sucking babies, for crying out loud! And while I'm on the subject, there's one thing a man can never run away from - his DREAMS and his FEARS. Well, actually, that's two things, but when those two things combine, they blossom into a righteous power, and through it, you will know which way to go. Which reminds me of my 8th birthday..."  
Malik rolled his eyes and Victoria was already covering her ears. However, by some strange cosmic event, Dusty's random rant was actually quieting Scythe down. His limbs had now come to a full stop, and was now only making a few noises. By the time Dusty got to explaining his 8th birthday, Scythe was now all but silent. Realizing his rant was working, Dusty continued, not knowing exactly when to stop.  
"...And then the cheese pants and the rolled up newspaper jumped over the moon, and may the way of the hero lead to the Triforce. Free Jolly Jenkins! OCHIKO!!"

It was then that Scythe let out a laugh.

Everyone gasped and stared down at him in wonder. A laugh?  
Yes, there was no mistaking it. And it hadn't been the evil sort of laugh that they would have expected from a Space Pirate. It almost sounded soft and innocent, like that of a young child.  
"Ha! See, he got a kick out of that!" Dusty said proudly.  
This line made Scythe laugh again.

"...Wow..." Victoria muttered. "Dusty, you... actually calmed him down. I'm shocked!"  
"I hear ya, little lady!" Malik said. He was now feeling reassured now that Scythe wasn't flailing around like an octopus on drugs. "Who'd a thought Dusty could actually do sumthin' right?"  
"Aw, it was no big deal! Just doin' what I do best, is all! Ain't that right, Scythe?"  
Another laugh from Scythe. It was so strange hearing that babyish laugh come out of such a monster's mouth that it made them cringe.

Victoria was feeling more comfortable, too, so she bent down to examine the slash marks on her ankle. They weren't severe, but they needed attention. "Ogh... Hey, Malik? Dusty? Do either of you have a bandage?"

"Ooh, looks like he cut ya pretty bad," Malik said, looking at her bleeding gash. "I'll help ya out. C'mere." He wheeled over to her and used his huge arms to pick her up. "We'll get you some First Aid. You gonna be a'ight!"  
"Thanks Malik," Victoria said softly.  
"What about me?" Dusty asked as Malik began to ride off.  
"What aBOUT you?" Malik asked back.  
"I dunno... What should I be doing?"  
"Well, da Pirate seems ta like you. Keep 'im busy!"  
"Keep him busy?! What do I look like? A babysitter?"  
"Or you could shove 'im back in da fridgedator, if ya want."  
"Ehh... Nah, I haven't the heart to do that..."  
"Hmm, funny. I didn't think you even had one," Victoria cut rather harshly.  
"Really man, do what you want with 'im," Malik said. "Hell, if I was you, I'd maybe find out more about dat Seed inside o' him." That was the last he said before wheeling out of the room with Victoria in his arms.

Dusty was left alone with Scythe, who was still just lying there on the floor, staring up at him. Dusty returned the stare, and found it to be quite disturbing. Those eyes... they were hideous. Just looking into the pupils of any Space Pirate seemed enough to make one feel profound hate for their species. But what was it about this Pirate's eyes that almost made them... sparkle? So vibrant and full of wonder...  
It was a mystery, alright.

Dusty twiddled with his fingers while he tried to think of how he might find out more about this Pirate and 'The Seed' within his body. What tests could he possibly perform?  
Ah! He could try communicating! That was a good first step!  
"Heeellooo," Dusty said very slowly. "Dooo... yooouuu... understaaand... meee?"  
Scythe just chuckled, and did nothing more.  
"Myyy... naaame... Duuusty. Caaan... yooou... saaay... 'Duuusty'...?"  
Scythe just continued to glare at him with that disturbing face. This was proof enough that Scythe was unable to communicate. Dusty wondered what else could be done...

It was then Dusty noticed that he'd never actually seen Scythe walk yet. He'd just lain there like a lump ever since he'd tumbled out of the refrigerator. Was he able to?  
Dusty decided he may as well see. He walked behind Scythe, grabbed him by both his shoulders, and hoisted him up. Man, he was heavy! It was an exhausting effort, but Dusty finally got Scythe onto his feet. Once he did, he let go and allowed Scythe to stand on his own.  
He didn't stay standing for long, however. A second later, he lost his balance (if he had any in the first place) and fell right back down on his behind. Dusty groaned. All that hard work for nothing. It was only made worse when Scythe began to cry out again.  
_"WAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!"_

Dusty covered his ears and gritted his teeth. "Geez, will you stop screaming like a banshee and just DO something?!"  
This outburst made Scythe stop screaming, and in fact, induced a small laugh.  
Dusty perked up and stared at him. "What you think that's funny? Ya little penis wrinkle?"  
Another laugh from Scythe.  
"Oh, so you ENJOY being insulted, eh? Ass muncher?"  
Scythe was now rolling on the floor laughing.  
"Man, proves you don't understand a word I'm saying. Little snot..."

Another question then entered Dusty's mind. What did Scythe eat?  
Dusty walked over to the open refrigerator and began to rummage through the few food items within. Cheese, bread, cheese... cheese... milk? He pulled out the carton of milk and held it out to Scythe. Scythe hopped up and down on his bottom excitedly and reached for the carton. Dusty pulled it out of the way at the last second, and watched as Scythe tumbled forward and landed flat on his face. It was really kind of funny, if not a bit cruel.  
Dusty regretted doing that, though, when Scythe started screaming again.

_"WAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!"_

"Oh, for goodness SAKE!" Dusty cried. "Why can't you just GROW UP you big...!"

It then hit him.  
At that moment, Scythe snatched the milk carton from Dusty's hand, ceased crying, and began to drink it all up.  
Dusty stared down at him in sheer amazement, confusion, and a bit of disgust.

"...baby?"

* * *

"How's it feelin', Victoria?"  
"It stings..."  
"Yeeeah, dat alcohol burns sumthin' fierce, don't it? Bummer dat I gots ta put on a whole bunch more..."  
"What?!"  
"Ha-HA! Naw, I'm just playin', Victoria."  
Victoria smiled a bit. "Oh geez, you're just a big joker like Dusty..."  
"Whoa now, don't be comparin' me ta DAT lunatic. He's a funny guy, but man, he's seriously off o' his rocker sometimes!"  
"Tell me about it..." Victoria looked down at her now bandaged scratch marks. Some red was seeping through already, but it looked to be fine. "...I can't believe he did that. What an idiot..."  
"Did what?"  
"Let that crazed Pirate out right in front of me! ...Well, OK, so I agreed to see him let it out, but... that's only because he begged me. Ugh, it's like he was just INVITING me to get hurt..."  
"Aw, girl, go easy on the guy," Malik said soothingly. "He just don't always consider others all da time. I'm sure he feels real bad about what happened."  
"Well, he'd better. I told him that I'd never forgive him if I got hurt..."

Malik just snickered to himself and patted Victoria on the shoulder. "You'se gonna be a'ight. Just try not ta walk on dat leg much. Limp if ya gots ta. Oh, and I'm always right here in ya need a lift!"

Victoria nodded at the offer. "Thank you, Malik."  
"Sho' thing. And how dose Metroid bites feelin'?" She examined the other two bandages stuck on her torso, just below her breasts. She nodded meekly. "...They sting a little still, but they're OK."

"Dat's great. Well, we's actually just about ready to dock at da Federation, so keep dat in mind, OK?"  
"Yeah..." Victoria then thought of something. "Hey Malik, have we thought about what we're gonna tell Mr Vapor about Samus's absence?"  
"Hmm... I ain't given it much thought. You?"  
"I've been trying, but I don't have anything very reasonable..."  
"Yeeah, I'll think about it while we're dockin'. In the meantime, maybe Dusty's learned some new things 'bout dat Pirate. Could you maybe go in dere and see what's up?"  
Victoria didn't much fancy the thought of being alone in a room with Dusty and the mental Pirate again, but she figured she had no other choice. "Sure..."  
"K. Lemme know how it all is when he dock, alright?"  
"Sure..." she repeated.  
And so, Malik turned off the autopilot and began to manually steer his way towards the GF space station not too far ahead. Victoria, meanwhile, limped over to the culinary room to see how Dusty and Scythe were fairing.

Victoria peered into the room where Dusty and Scythe were, still anxious about actually entering. What she saw in there was a bit surprising. Dusty was standing over the Pirate and talking non-stop in that goofy voice of his, which was generating many laughs and giggles from Scythe. They almost seemed to be having fun...

Having fun??

Victoria slowly and hesitantly walked into the room. Preferring to keep her distance, she called over. "Dusty?"  
Dusty was in the middle of cracking with his crazy 'friend' as he turned around to face her. When he looked her way, his smile didn't fade, despite the unpleasant look she was giving him. "Hey Vicki!"  
He turned back to the Pirate that was still lying on the floor. "Hey buddy," he said in a cooing manner, "This is Vicki! Can you say V-I-C-K-I? I don't think you've formally met her yet. Say hi! Or bye, if you want. Either word means the same to her!"  
Dusty and Scythe both proceeded to laugh, leaving Victoria to stand there in utter confusion.

"Dusty..." she repeated, a little more sternly, "What are you doing?"  
"What does it look like? I'm having some fun with my new little pal!"  
"Little...? Dusty, he must be a foot taller than you..."  
"Yup, which makes him approximately 27 feet taller than YOU!"  
"...He's not EVEN 27 feet tall..."  
"True. But he's 27 feet taller than YOU! Ain't that right, pally?"  
Dusty and Scythe exploded in laughter again. Victoria held her forehead and shook her head. Her frustration seemed to channel to the wound on her ankle, too, which began to throb at that moment.

"Dusty, really... Why are you acting this way towards this Pirate? Like he's your little brother or something?"  
Dusty gave Victoria a bit of a cocky eye, as though he was about to tell her a big secret. He leaned in a little closer and spoke softly. "Vicki, you're not gonna believe this... this guy is nothin' more than a big... fat... baby!"  
Victoria leaned back, biting her lip, not sure what to make of that comment. She looked back down at Scythe to see if what Dusty said may be true. A big baby? Did Dusty mean that in a figurative way? Or was he being honest? The way Scythe lay there on his back, his arms and legs sort of propped up in the air, and his jaws that somehow formed the shape of a joyous grin. Victoria had to admit, there was something very... infantile about him.

"...How'd you reach THAT conclusion?" she asked.  
"Easy! He can't talk, he can't walk, he likes to drink milk, and he laughs at basically any funny face a guy can make. He's a baby for sure!"  
"...Are you serious?"  
"No doubt in my mind! I'm a little worried about the bathroom situation, though. I was never too good with diapers. I could never even figure out how they worked when I used to WEAR them, for crying out loud!"  
"No, Dusty... Is The Seed really what turned him into a... huge baby?"  
"Seems that way!"  
"...But why?"  
"Who knows? Heck, who cares? It's not our business. We just gotta deliver him to the Feds and let them take care of him. In the meantime, I wanna have some fun with him. Mind leaving for a while, Vicki? You're letting all the fun out!"  
Another chuckle from Scythe. The two really were hitting it off well.

Victoria, however, was still very apprehensive about getting near him. Dusty noticed, and with a sympathetic look in his eyes, held a hand out. "Aw, I didn't mean that, Vicki. You can hang with us if you want!"

Victoria didn't respond, and instead gave him that sorrowful, heartbreaking stare she always gave. It was unusual for her to feel frustrated, but it bothered her no end how Dusty still hadn't noticed the bandage around her ankle. If she was the type to yell, she would have went off on him that very second.  
The whole scene, however, was interrupted by Malik's booming voice from the cockpit. "HEY YA'LL! WE'S JUST ABOUT TA DOCK!! GET DAT PIRATE OUTTA DERE AND LESS GET READY TO BRING 'IM ON IN, ALRIGHT?!"  
"Um, sure! No problem!!" Dusty called back.  
"OK!" Victoria answered as well.

Dusty and Victoria took one last deep, furtive glance at one another before preparing for landing...

* * *

The trio was just now rounding the corner of the hallway that would lead them to Mr Vapor's office. Victoria was walking noticeably fast, while Dusty struggled to keep up. Malik had wheels to keep up with, of course, but having a fussy, mutant baby squirming on his back made things a little difficult.  
Despite the fact that he was itching to get the monster off his back, Malik abruptly stopped right in the middle of the hallway. "Hold up a sec, ya'll!" he said.  
Dusty stopped and turned around. "What's up, Malik?"  
Victoria stopped, but only turned her head, clearly eager to get moving. "What's wrong?" she wondered.  
"I 'unno..." Malik said lowly. "Iss just... I been kinda thinkin 'bout Samus. She said she was gonna try an' get some info on The Seed o' sumthin. Think maybe she found anythin' out?"  
"I don't know. Maybe," Victoria said. "But we just have to deliver The Seed here. It's not our job to know anything else about it..."  
"Cool your jets, Miss Hot Rod," Dusty cracked, "I'm kinda curious about this too."  
"Yeah," Malik said, taking out his cell phone. "She still got her phone on her, right?"  
"She does, but she's a hostage, remember?" Victoria reasoned, inching forth down the hall. "I doubt the Pirates would let her use it. We can worry about that later. Let's just finish the job. Please..."  
"Vicki, just take it easy, OK? There's no deadline on this mission!" Dusty assured her. "It's almost like you WANT it to be over! I mean, c'mon! Once it ends, who knows if we'll ever work together again? God knows I wanna work with YOU again!"  
Victoria grimaced a little, and even appeared a bit confused.

"Aw, c'mon Victoria!" Malik pleaded. "Just one call to see if she picks up. We'll ask how she is and if she's found out anything. If she don't know nothin', dat's cool. If she DO know somethin, then we can tell Mr Vapor, and he'll be happy to get the info. Dat's all. Could you handle dat?"  
Victoria looked at both of them pleadingly, begging with her eyes that they just go forth right now, drop Scythe off, and just end the mission. However, Malik's glare back at her continued to promise that it would only take a minute and that she should just settle down. Dusty's face looked just as dumb as it ever did, and didn't even flinch. Victoria knew it was hopeless.

Because of this, she held out her hand. "OK, that's fine. But let me talk to her. I'll know how to keep it as brief as possible."  
Malik and Dusty looked at one another and shrugged. Malik then handed the phone to Victoria, who searched through the cell's phonebook for Samus's number. She pressed Send after she found it, held it up to her ear, and waited. As she did, she was fidgeting uncontrollably. Why she was so eager to get moving was a mystery to Malik and Dusty, but they knew better than to ask.

The two guys stood back and watched as Victoria turned her back to them. For some reason, she seemed to want a bit of privacy. Not that they couldn't hear her talking anyway. In fact, that's exactly what they did - they watched Victoria and listened to her speak, only imagining what Samus might be saying back...

"Hello??" Victoria practically shouted into the phone. "Hello?! Samus, can you hear me?! ...Samus, it's me Victoria! ...Yeah, we're just about to, but we wanted to know how you were doing first, and if you got any info on The Seed! ...Uh-huh... Oh, you're escaping?! ...Really? What is it?! ...Yeah, I got it! ...Uh-huh... Uh-huuuh... Oh... Oh wow. That's... Huh? ...Umm, like a giant baby, basically... Yeah, I know... Sure, I can! Yes!"  
A short while later, it was noticed that Victoria's voice drooped into a melancholy tone.  
"...P-prolonged? ...Uh... I... Alright! ...Alright. I promise... But Samus, I... Samus? Samus?! Hello, Samus?! Ogghh..."

Victoria sighed and closed the phone. Malik reached out and gently took it back. "So... what'd she have to say? She doin' alright?"  
"Yeah, she's good. She's making her escape right now," Victoria said quietly.  
"Oh, that's great! And she find any info'mation on The Seed?"  
"Yeah, she got some really interesting stuff. But, she wanted me to tell it to Mr Vapor. I'll save it 'til we talk to him, OK?"  
"Alright, that's cool," Dusty agreed. "Anything else?"  
"Umm..." Victoria tried to recall. "Well, she was ABOUT to say something else, but... the call got disconnected right then."  
"What?! Oh, what a BUST!" Dusty exclaimed. "It sucks so bad when that happens, man! Did you hear that freakish woman who says ''We're sorry! Your call has been disconnected!' and stuff?"  
"Yes, I did..."  
"Ugh, I HATE that woman! And I don't even know who she is! I swear, I sometimes wish I could just reach through the phone and pop that bitch in the face..."  
"What was the last thing you heard her say?" Malik wondered.  
"I don't remember exactly," Victoria said, scratching her head, "I think it was something like, 'And for the love of God, don't-' ...and that's where it got cut off."  
"Oooh..." Malik said, not really pretending to understand. "For whose love was she talkin' about?"  
Victoria shrugged.  
Dusty just said nothing, showing complete indifference to what was being discussed.

A sudden wiggle and cry from Scythe made Malik snap back to his senses. "Oh, snap! Well, I guess we better get talkin' to da boss. Looks like mission accomplished, don't it, guys?"  
Dusty clenched his fist and held in the air. "YES! Another mission accomplished, another paycheck! SHOW ME THE MONEY!!"  
With that, the two guys started down the hall.

"Yeah..." Victoria uttered softly to herself. "Mission accomplished."  
And then, in an even softer tone, whispered, _"...I'm coming, Headshot..."_

* * *

Keith Vapor was busy making a fort out of pencils when the door to his office suddenly opened. With a start, he shoved all the pencils into an open drawer and folded his hands on his desk. He was pleased to see Dusty, Victoria, and Malik walk in. He was even more pleased to see Malik carrying a Space Pirate on his back. Could it be the one they'd been looking for?  
"Welcome back!" he greeted. "Is this Pirate the one that..."  
"Yessah!" Malik cut in. "Dis is the Pirate dat's got the Seed inside o' him. We came to delivah!"  
Mr Vapor smiled and nodded. "Fantastic. Truly fantastic! You did a great job, all four of you!"  
As Dusty and Victoria both said nodded in return, Mr Vapor realized there weren't four people in the room. Where was his prize Bounty Hunter, Samus Aran? "Umm... Is Samus here with you?" he wondered, still looking around.  
"No sir, she ain't heah right now," Malik answered.  
"Then where is she?" he looked at Victoria for an answer. She bit her lip, something she usually did when she was nervous. Mr Vapor began to grow suspicious.

"I'll field this one, sir!" Dusty said. "See, here's the thing - While we were out at work, Samus found a server that allowed her to download games onto her helmet. When she found this out, she downloaded - get ready for this - World of Warcraft!"  
Mr Vapor raised an eyebrow. "...World of Warcraft?!"  
"You heard me! She was playing that thing religiously, man! And on top of that, she - oh, you're not gonna believe this - she met a guy on there and now she's dating him online!"  
Mr Vapor's eyes now shot open in surprise. "Samus... has an online boyfriend?!"  
"I know! She don't seem like the type, does she?"  
"Well... no. Not at all. Makes me wonder... are you trying to pull my leg?"  
"Pull your LEG? No, sir. Your leg is royalty! It's not to be touched!"

Mr Vapor looked over at Victoria. "Is this guy telling the truth?"  
Victoria, too, was looking at Dusty like he was a total loon. When Mr Vapor spoke to her, though, she quickly caught herself and nodded. "Y-yeah! It's true. Every word."  
Mr Vapor still didn't look convinced. "...But even through all her WoW playing and boyfriend-chatting, she STILL did her duties with the mission, I hope?"  
Victoria swallowed a little bit. "Y-yes, sir. In fact, she's the one who saved the Pirate from his pod before it crashed into Old Major. She did great, as usual... sir..."  
"And you avoided contact with the Pirates as I said to, correct?"  
"Y-yes sir... No contact... with the Pirates."  
Mr Vapor stared Victoria down, as though trying to see through her and detect if she was really being truthful.  
Victoria bit her lip again.

Malik could sense that Victoria might blow their cover and butt in himself. "Iss the truth, yo' honor. Samus gots ADDICTED ta dat game. And dat guy she found, he don't live too far from heah. I think she went ta go meet him, o sumthin'..."  
Thankfully, hearing this from Malik made Mr Vapor finally start to believe their story. "So... she thought seeing this guy was more important than being here for the delivery?"  
"Hey, only take one man ta deliver! Three's already too many!" Malik joked.

Mr Vapor nodded, sat back, and slapped his hands on his desk. "Well, so Samus isn't here. But I suppose that's not our biggest concern. The Pirate?"  
"Oh!" Malik said, letting Scythe off his back. "Right heah, sir."  
"Is he... dangerous?" Mr Vapor asked, feeling a bit anxious. "Dangerous?!" Dusty exclaimed. "Naaw! He's not dangerous at all! In fact, you know what's funny? The Seed actually turned him into nothin' more than a big, ugly-ass baby!"  
Scythe burped loudly, then proceeded to crawl around on the ground on all fours, cooing in deep grunts. Dusty laughed. "Ha! Look at that! He's crawling already... They grow up so freakin' fast, huh?"  
"A... baby?" Mr Vapor was stunned watching the ugly beast crawl around like an infant. "How the hell did this happen?"  
"We dunno, suh," Malik shrugged. "It just kinda... happened, I reckon."

Mr Vapor's eyes were still fixated on the shuffling monster. "Umm... maybe we should keep him busy while we talk... What do babies like?"  
"They like when people give 'em raspberries on their bellies," Dusty said thoughtfully. "Victoria, would you like the honor?"  
"I'm not touching that thing with my mouth..." Victoria muttered, not even looking at Dusty nor at Scythe.  
"Oh, I know!" Malik said. "How 'bout candy? I liked candy when I was a baby! ...Course, I like candy anyhow, but you know what I mean!"  
Mr Vapor snapped his fingers. "Ah! Good idea! In fact, I got some of these last week..." He reached into a drawer and pulled out a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Dusty squealed in delight. "Oh, AWESOME! Reese's! Can I have some?"  
"Shut up, Dusty," was all Mr Vapor said as he ripped open the bag. He threw it over near the wall, as though throwing it to an animal. Scythe excitedly crawled over and grabbed it clumsily, reaching in and pulling a Reese's out before munching away. He seemed to content, so the talk continued among the adults.

"So you have no information as to how this could have happened, or why?" Mr Vapor asked.  
"Well," Malik began, "We think maybe dat-"  
"That wasn't our mission, sir," Victoria rudely interrupted. "It's not our concern how or why any of this happened. We were only supposed to deliver The Seed here for YOUR teams to experiment on. Finding all that out is your job, not ours."  
Mr Vapor raised his hands. "Whoa, whoa... easy, Victoria. I was just curious, that's all."  
"So does that mean the mission's over?" Victoria asked hastily.  
In her mind, she whispered, _"Please... PLEASE let it be over..."  
_  
Mr Vapor was hesitant to say. He then leaned forward and rested his chin on his knuckles. "...Any information you have, though, could help us a LOT in our experiments. Are you absolutely sure you know nothing?"  
"Yes, we're sure!" Victoria almost shouted, frustrated.  
"Oh, but wait a minute!" Dusty then said. "Vicki, didn't Samus just tell you over the phone something she found out about The Seed?"  
Victoria looked at him, annoyed beyond imagination. Oh, how she just wished he would keep his mouth shut sometimes...

Mr Vapor looked at Victoria curiously. "Oh... so you DO know something? Why won't you say?"  
"Because...!" Victoria began. However, she forced her mouth shut, afraid to speak. "...No! I don't know anything. Dusty, just be quiet. No one listens to you anyway!"  
"Whoa, touch-Y!" Dusty muttered.  
"But, Victoria..." Malik said in a confused tone. "I thought Samus DID tell you somethin' ovah the phon-"  
"You too, Malik!" Victoria exclaimed, shutting him up. She then turned to Mr Vapor with pleading eyes. "Sir, really... I don't know anything. And I doubt Samus does either. Just, please... Mission Accomplished. Say those words to me. Please!"

It seemed as though at last, Mr Vapor recalled the reason why Victoria wanted this mission to end so soon. His once stern glare turned slightly sympathetic...  
But only a slight bit. It was still tense with a sense of duty. "Victoria, I understand why you want what you're begging for. I've already taken the necessary measures to get you what it is you want because, frankly, it's something that I want, too. Very much. You know that."  
He leaned forward a slight bit, looking even more imposing. "...However, I know better than to halt such an important mission when so many unknowns are still out there. Now Victoria, answer me honestly - did Samus give you any valuable information on The Seed? Do you or do you not know something that these men don't? Answer me."

Victoria swallowed hard and bit her lip. She looked at Malik to her left, who shrugged, awaiting her to speak.  
She looked to her right at Dusty, who was picking his ear, halfway paying attention.  
She looked down at Scythe, chowing down on his Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, looking awfully pleased.  
Then back up at Mr Vapor, peering straight into her skull with his bold blue eyes, ordering her to open her mouth and say something. There was silence for so long that one could've sworn time had stood still for those moments. Victoria looked so ready to say something, yet so hesitant to at the same time. It made the three men in the room wonder just what was bouncing around within her mind. Mr Vapor looked prepared to wait patiently forever.

At last, Victoria squeezed her eyes shut and sighed. "OK..." she said quietly. "Yes, I know... some things..."  
"It's alright, Victoria. Take your time," Mr Vapor replied softly.  
"Sure..." Victoria had to take a couple of deep breaths, but she eventually got to talking. "I heard from Samus that The Seed... The Seed is a source of nearly limitless power. However, The Seed is, at its core essence, a young child. Pure and innocent, uncorrupted..."  
Everyone looked over at Scythe when she said this. That seemed coherent with the fact that The Seed had turned this Pirate into a giant, fussy infant. Believing this knowledge was credible, Mr Vapor asked her to continue.  
"Yes, you see, the power is locked away right now, but it can be released only after The Seed is blessed at two temples located in distant corners of the universe. Also, how this power is used depends on how The Seed is raised, and by who aids in its blessings and maturing. Clearly, the Space Pirates hope to use this power to become the dominant race over humans in this region..."

Malik and Dusty listened, wide-eyed, and looked at one another, hoping the other could answer their questions. They were both dumbfounded beyond belief. Was all of this true?  
Mr Vapor seemed to believe every word. "...Fascinating... You say Samus told you this?"  
"Yes sir."  
"How did she acquire this knowledge?"  
"...I don't know. She... never said."  
Mr Vapor just shrugged and sat back in his chair, for there were obviously bigger questions on his mind. "There's something very contradictory about this whole thing... Why did the Space Pirates discard The Seed to begin with, only to come chasing after it again and thirsting for its supposed 'power'...?"

"I'm not sure," Victoria said, scratching her chin. "Maybe they... didn't know about the power until after they discarded it?"

"Possibly. But then, why did The Seed go into the body of a Space Pirate? ...Heck, where did the thing even come from, anyway??"  
"...We don't know," Victoria replied, lowering her head. She almost looked apologetic for not having enough information.  
"And this... 'power'? Any idea what it might be?"  
Victoria looked up. "...All I can guess is that it's something VERY important..."

Mr Vapor sat back in his chair and stretched. "Hmmmmmm... I've never witnessed a case like this before. Every seemingly improbable case has had some scientific explanation to back it up. But this... Off hand, I can't think of what any of it could mean."  
"Well, dat's why ya'll are gonna experiment on Scythe, ain't dat right?" Malik asked.  
"And I hope you guys plan on taking him to those two temples to unleash his POWAH!" Dusty exclaimed.  
"Yeah, that's all the info we have. Our job's done now... r-right?" Victoria asked.

Mr Vapor had to think hard about these last few comments. He looked at all three of the team members, one at a time, trying to decide something secretly within his own head.  
His gaze soon fixed on Victoria again. "Victoria... do you by chance know one of the two planets where The Seed needs to be, err... 'blessed'?"  
"U-um... yes, sir," Victoria stuttered a little. She was clearly nervous, perhaps afraid of what Mr Vapor's next words might be. "I know one is... some place called... Blobsoh VII."  
"Blobsoh VII..." Mr Vapor repeated to himself, trying to recall the name. "Ah, yes. I'm pretty sure I know where that is..."  
He closed his eyes for a second or two. His forehead became tense and wrinkled as he concentrated very hard on his thoughts.  
"Well..." he said, opening his eyes, "There's really no easy way to say this, but..."

He folded his hands on his desk and cleared his throat. "...This Seed, whatever it may be, very well could be the ultimate weapon that determines whether we can win this war against the Space Pirates. I can imagine, a seemingly eternal war at last coming to a close... the winner being whoever can harness the power within... Now, after giving it some thought, I believe the best option for us is to make the best possible use of all the knowledge we have at this point. Therefore, it's best that we make it our first priority to find these two temples and do what needs to be done to unleash this power from The Seed..."  
He sighed heavily. "...However, I can't just send anybody on such a mission. And lately, we've had a staggering shortage of Bounty Hunters throughout all regions of space. It's to that end that I'm left to make this decision..."  
He then looked down at the three, perhaps mostly in Victoria's direction.  
"...You three, find Samus, and head out. I'm making the blessings and maturing of The Seed your duty, your first stop being Blobsoh VII. That is final."

Malik and Dusty were quite surprised by this development. Again, they looked at each other, but this time, without confusion. Rather, they wore faces of ambition. This could very well be the most important job of their lives, and they were both ready for the challenge.  
"You got it, suh. We kin do dat, no problem!"  
"Yep! Mr Vapor, you've got yourself some men of God right here! Believe that!"  
Mr Vapor smiled at their enthusiasm. "Thank you very much. And not only that, but if you manage to complete this mission... How'd you like the fattest paycheck you've ever seen?"

This alone was enough to make Dusty start drooling out of the corner of his mouth. "Mmm... Money...!"

As the three men showed so much anticipation for this bold new mission, Victoria was left standing in the dark. She stood with her mouth slightly open, breathing heavily to herself. Already, her hazel eyes were becoming moist with rising tears.  
"No..." she whispered to herself. "No... please, no..."

In the middle of a laugh, Mr Vapor looked over to see Victoria looking absolutely crushed. Like a two-ton safe dropped right on her heart. He couldn't bear to see it.  
"Excuse me, boys," he told Dusty and Malik, who were still laughing over something themselves, "Would you mind waiting outside for a second? I want to speak with Victoria alone..."  
"Ohoho!" Dusty mocked. "Gettin' cozy in the office, huh? Ooo-la-la!"  
Malik, who had noticed Victoria's melancholy face, knew something was serious. "C'mon Dusty, quit playin' around a minute. Less go..."  
Within the next five seconds, the two were out the door.

The second the two were gone, Victoria just couldn't hold it in anymore. She buried her face in her hands and began to sob. She struggled to keep it to herself, but she knew Mr Vapor could easily tell. It was heartbreaking to see.  
Mr Vapor looked down upon her with more sympathy than ever. "Victoria, I... I hope you understand that this is for the best..."  
"W-why can't you just let THEM go?" Victoria choked between sobs. "Them and Samus? Why do I have to go with them?"  
"This is a very, VERY important mission. You know that... We'll need all the personnel we can afford working on it, and unfortunately... you're part of the Galactic Federation as a Bounty Hunter. You can't forget that, Victoria. You became a Hunter of your own free will, and as such, you agreed to do whatever task was asked of you. I'm sorry, but... those are the rules..."  
"I thought you wanted to find Headshot..."  
Mr Vapor breathed heavily and shook his head. "I DO want to find Headshot. You know that. I already told you that we've already prepared for you to travel to Urrth as soon as the mission's over. And yes, I know it's been prolonged by a significant amount. Days... possibly weeks... Just know that, eventually, it WILL end, and you will eventually get to look for him. Can you just remember that for me?"

Victoria didn't answer right away. She wiped a tear off her cheek, swallowed heavily, and looked at Mr Vapor with a mixture of sorrow and anger.  
"You're a liar..." she muttered.  
With that, she turned around and walked out the door.  
Mr Vapor shook his head again. He wasn't sure what to do anymore...

The only one left in the room now was Scythe, still sitting over there by the wall. And, much to Mr Vapor's dismay, had eaten every single Reese's Peanut Butter Cup in the bag and had laid his tracks all over the floor.  
Malik was back in promptly to pick Scythe up and carry him back to the Gunship. He spotted the mess himself. "Umm... Mista Vapor, suh, I think ya oughtta get a paper towel o' somethin'. Maybe about 50 of 'em..."  
Nothing more was said as he rolled out the door with Scythe, the future of the universe, on his back...

* * *

Within the next ten minutes, the team had left the GF Headquarters and were headed for their new destination, Blobsoh VII. Malik handled the piloting, as usual, while Dusty took Scythe into the kitchen to keep him entertained. Victoria didn't do much rather than look out the pilot window, presumably looking for something. Malik did notice, though, that she looked very unhappy. Regretful, almost. He might have asked her what was wrong, but he had other things to worry about at the moment. Like first, where the hell was Blobsoh VII? And where could Samus be...?

The door to the berth room suddenly opened, and Dusty walked out, laughing to himself about something. Scythe's giggling could be heard before the door closed. He was heading to the berth room, but as he passed Malik and Victoria, he stopped and stood in between them, throwing an arm around each of their shoulders.  
"Man, isn't this the greatest? We get to work together even longer! I don't wanna sound all sappy or fruity or anything, but... You know, I've only known you guys about a day, but you're already feeling like my family!"  
"Your family?" Malik asked.  
"Yeah! First off, Vicki and I are the mom and dad. Ya know, husband and wife!"  
Victoria just made a sort of moan and keep looking out the window.  
"...And Malik, you're the immature little kid that always does everything in the stupidest possible way!"  
"Me? The immature one? Pssh, naw! That's YOU all over! I think I'd make a better daddy dan you!"  
"Maybe, but Vicki wouldn't wanna marry a dude with no legs! Isn't that right, Vicki?"  
"...I'd rather marry a man with no head than marry you..."

Dusty frowned and Malik began to bellow loudly. "HaHAHA!! Oh, you got own'd, Dusty! Man, Victoria, and here I thought you was all shy and quiet. Turns out you almost as brash as Samus!"  
"As brash as Samus?" Victoria asked, finally looking away from the window and at Malik. "No... I just, I dunno... My dad used to tell me I was never much of a talker unless something was bothering me..." She looked at Dusty. "Well Dusty, you've sure gotten me to speak up a lot more than anyone I've ever met... a LOT more. That should tell you something."  
"Oh, it does, believe that!" he cracked. "And I'm quite proud of myself!"  
"Oh Dusty... could you please just go bother someone else? Maybe another girl?"  
"What?! Oh no, I don't want to bother another girl, Vicki. I want to bother YOU!"  
She simply turned her head and continued to peer out the window. Dusty could tell now he was really starting to upset her. He was really late in figuring this out (Malik sensed there would be trouble between them before they even met), but at least he knew. He figured he would stand up for himself a bit. "Aw Vicki... C'mon, go a little easy on me. We all know I've got a screw loose. Or two. Or ten... But hey, I've never wronged you, have I? I ain't never gotten you hurt or anything..."

He hung his head a bit to show some sorrow, and it was then that he noticed the bandage around Victoria's ankle. There were still red and pinks stains forever tattooed on it, and it made him curious. "Yow... Yo Victoria, what happened to your leg? Something try to eat you?"  
Victoria turned around, looked down at the bandage, then back into Dusty's face. Her eyes flashed with a trace of anger. "...You never even noticed that before?"  
"Nope. Looks pretty fresh, though. Too bad I missed it! Musta been kewl!"  
"You didn't miss it..." she assured him. Dusty was left scratching his head. "I, uh... is this some kinda riddle? I never liked riddles much. There's the one about the two frogs that fall into the bowl of cream, and one frog drowns, but the other makes it out. How? I always forget. Something about the one frog having a floaty or something..."  
"Dusty, Scythe did this to me."

Dusty was now even more perplexed. The expression on Victoria's face showed she was dead serious, but he just couldn't believe it. "Who, little Scythe-man? He wouldn't ever hurt nobody! He's cool like that!"  
"When you first let him out of the refrigerator, remember? While he was all thrashing around? He cut me with his claw. I swear it." She backed away from the window a little bit, backed away from Dusty. "I said if I got hurt, I'd never forgive you... And you never even noticed."  
Malik could tell this was getting ugly. Knowing it wasn't his business, he discreetly went back to looking over his maps and piloting. He kept his ears open, though.  
Dusty stared at the bandage, his mouth slightly hung open. All the while, he as shaking his head lightly. "But... but Vicki..."  
Victoria cringed. "Dusty, if you're trying to be apologetic, the LEAST you could do is call me by my real name."  
Dusty held out his palms. "...OK, Vicki. No, wait! I mean, uhh... uhhhh... Vicki."  
Victoria just moaned and walked quickly into the kitchen, burying her face in her hands. Malik wasn't sure, but he could tell things were upsetting her that were far beyond Dusty's annoying behavior. Of course, Dusty WAS a big part of her unhappiness at the moment, too.  
"Hey, Vicki!" Dusty pleaded, following her. "No, no, that's not it... Vicki? Doh! What's her real name again...?"  
That was the last that was heard of those two before the berth room door closed.

Malik was left navigating and piloting alone. He thought he at last was able to find the coordinates of this elusive planet. Blobsoh VII... What were the residents sniffing when they came up with THAT name? And where were Blobsohs 1-6? Meh, same mystery that surrounded the planet Tallon IV...  
But still, above all else, he still found himself worrying about Samus. She'd gotten such valuable information for them... And she claimed to be making her escape from the Pirates' clutches. But could she? He could only hope...  
For it was clear as day that they wouldn't be able to complete this mission without her help...

At that moment, a bright, purplish light erupted from the vacuum of space, right in front of the Gunship. The purple light shot forth and illuminated the entire cabin, causing Malik to scream and shield his eyes. He pulled on the brake lever.  
"Sweet mother o' mercy!" he stammered to himself as he watched the mysterious source of light begin to throb wildly. It looked like someone had taken a hole puncher the size of a skyscraper and pinched the very fabric of space and time, right there in front of the craft. Whatever this phenomenon was, Malik couldn't tell if it was a good or bad thing. And he wasn't ready to take any risks. He gripped the controls, not sure whether to back up, stay put, or what. Within seconds, it had grown into a hole large enough for the Gunship to fit into...  
"Oh snap!" Malik though to himself, "Iss gonna EAT us!"  
Having convinced himself that the swirly purple hole was going to swallow the ship, Malik did what his impulse told him - he grabbed the trigger on the stick and began to fire the ship's lasers right into it! All the while, he let out a battle cry and slowly backed up. The bullets poured into the hole, which appeared to do no visible damage, but Malik kept right on firing anyway. It would go down eventually!  
Suddenly, seemingly as a result of the constant fire, the hole began to glow brightly...  
And something flew right out!  
Whatever it was, it looked to be some sort of spacecraft. And whatever it was, it unfortunately flew right into Malik's line of fire. A bullet blew off one of its rear jets, causing it to sputter and spin out of control. The spacial rip disappeared immediately after.  
Malik let go of the controls, gazed up at the flailing spacecraft through the window, and fiddled nervously with his fingers. "Uh oh..." he said aloud. "I hope dat's a bad guy o' sumthin'..."

Watching the craft, Malik began to notice something interesting. Despite the fact that one of its boosters was missing, it was still able to keep fairly steady. Whoever was piloting must have been very good! He also noticed that it was clumsily trying to dock in a spot directly above the Gunship. Was the pilot about to get revenge on Malik for firing at him? He sure hoped not.  
At that moment, a huge explosion rocked the entire Gunship, accompanied by a flash of orange-white light! The craft overhead had definitely exploded. This made Malik swallow heavily. That couldn't be good...  
Well, at least if the pilot was trying to get revenge, he sure wouldn't be able to now!

Suddenly, with the hiss of released pressure, the Gunship's overhead hatch opened from the outside. Malik jumped, his pulse quickening. Who could it be...?  
An armor-clad figure dropped gracefully into the cockpit...  
And Malik's worried expression became a toothy smile.  
For there stood Samus Aran herself, safe and sound, back from the Pirates' infernal ship. What was relief and pleasure it was to see her again!

"Oh, Samus! I... I can't believe it! Yo' back already! Wow!" Malik exclaimed.  
Samus closed the hatch, removed her helmet, and gave Malik a rather annoyed look. He noticed right away, and his expression became worried again. "Oooh... I'm in trooouble..."  
"Didn't think that was me, huh?" she asked.  
"Well, if it was just the ship, maybe I woulda," Malik explained. "But what was really freakin' me out was dat skeery-as-hell purple hole thang! What in da universe WAS dat?"  
"A wormhole," Samus said with a faint smile. "All Space Pirate escape pods can generate them. Very handy."  
"Oh, I gets it! You got in one o' dem escape pods and used it to get outta da Orpheon!"  
"That's right."  
"...And den, and den you made a wormhole so you could pop out right in front o' us..."  
"Yup."  
"...And den I shot you down!"  
"Yes you did."

Malik chuckled nervously. "Sorry 'bout dat. Hope you ain't too mad..."  
"Oh, believe me, I'm VERY mad... but I'll punish you later. I'm glad I at least managed to remove the 4D Splitter from the pod."  
"Uhh, the what now?"

"The 4D Splitter. This thing..." Samus held up a small metallic gizmo that was shaped like a pear, with a few rows of green lights. "It's the device that splits the fabric of space-time and opens a path through the 4th dimension. At least I think that's how it works... In any case, it's what makes wormholes, so now we'll be able to go anywhere we need to, anytime. I've always wanted something like this!"  
Malik stared at the device with a smirk. "That little thang, huh? Looks kinda retro if ya ask me!"  
"Must be an old model," Samus observed. "But hey, it works like a charm."

Samus placed 4D Splitter on the control panel, then sat back and stretched a bit. "So, how did the meeting with Mr Vapor go?"  
"Purty good. All that info you got from the Pirates? Victoria told it all to da chief, and now we's on our way to Blobsoh VII ta unleash da power from inside dat crazy ol' Pirate! Yup, we's in business now!"  
Samus appeared excited to hear that news. However, her face also had an air of concern. "...Really? Victoria told him all that, knowing it might prolong the mission?"  
"Well, yeah."  
"Was it hard for her?"  
Malik had to take a second to recall. "Now that I think back, yeeah, she was all sad 'bout sumthin'. 'Specially when Mr Vapor said da mission was gonna be longah. I dunno what it was she was so upset about. She done nevah told us. Why? Do you know wass been botherin' her? She's a nice girl, and I been real worried..."  
"Well, it's a complicated issue..." Samus said. "But, it's her issue alone, really, so I'm not qualified to tell. She'll tell you when she's ready, maybe."  
"Ah, alright then..."  
Malik then jumped up a little bit. "Oh, but don't worry Samus. I was real worried about YOU, too! Yeah, I was...!"  
Samus just laughed a little and shook her head.

"So, how is everyone else then?" Samus questioned, scootching Malik out of the way so she could take the pilot's seat. "Victoria? Scythe?..."  
"And Dusty?" Malik finished for her.  
Samus kind of sneered. "Yeah, and him too."  
"Weeell, Victoria and Dusty have kinda been fightin' a lot since we left da Federation."  
"What a surprise..." Samus sarcastically remarked.  
"Ha! Really... Anyways, I guess iss cuz Victoria got hurt on account o' Dusty let Scythe outta da 'fridgedator while she was there. And you know Dusty, he don't usually notice thangs cuz he's so outta his mind. I guess Dusty still like her lots, but I dunno if Victoria's evah gonna like him back..."  
"OK, enough about those two. How about the Pirate... Scythe. Where is he right now?"  
"He's uhh... He's prolly still in da kitchen. Dat little rascal loves ta eat, thass for sure!"  
"Oh, yeah? Is he really just like a big baby?"  
"Bettah believe it!"  
"Wow... A grown Space Pirate acting like an infant. I can hardly imagine."  
"Yessum. Real hard to imagine... But hey, dere's a real and true example in da kitchen in ya'll wanna see. Seein' is believin', honey!"

Samus held the controls of her Gunship easily. This ship was like a home to her, and as such, it always felt good to come back to it after a while of absence. As much as she wanted to continue piloting, she knew there was some business as hand. There were her two other teammates arguing in the berth room, while the babyish Scythe was over in the kitchen doing goodness-knows-what. Perhaps it'd be smart to check up on one of the two real quick before warping to Blobsoh VII...

Samus thought for a second, wondering just what was he best thing to do at the moment. She then got up from the pilot's seat and motioned for Malik to sit. "I'm gonna go check up on our to teammates," she told him. "Mind piloting for a little while longer?"  
"No problem, Samus!" Malik wheeled himself in front of the chair and grabbed the controls. "Should I use the 4D Splittah thang?"  
"Umm... No, not yet. I'll come in and tell you when."  
"Sho' thing."  
"Good," Samus said, heading towards the berth room. She knew Dusty and Victoria were bickering on the other side of the door, but she didn't know just how heated their feud had become...

"You're so inconsiderate, it's almost unbelievable. How could you have not noticed?!"  
"C'mon Vicki, give me a break! I was just starting to have fun with the little guy, and it must've just not caught my attention."  
"Not surprising. You have such a minuscule attention span..."  
"Exactly! So, no hard feelings, yeah? We can kiss and make up now! Eh, Vicki?"  
"For the thousandth time, my name is not Vicki!"  
This was the first bit of conversation Samus heard as she slowly stepped into the berth room. Nice welcome. They didn't even notice her until she was practically standing in between them. At first, both were so surprised to see her that they both shut up and didn't speak for what seemed like centuries. They just stared, wondering if who they were seeing was really Samus or just an illusion spawned from anger. They were asking themselves, is it really her...?  
"I'm not the only one seeing this, right?" Dusty asked, holding his head. "Ugh, maybe I shouldn't have had Oreos and Red Bull for breakfast..."  
Victoria at last uttered the question. "S-Samus...?"  
Samus nodded. "Yes, Victoria. It's me."

Victoria's eyes lit up and gave such a joyful smile that the room seemed to glow. "I can't believe it! Oh, I'm so glad to see you're OK!"  
"Thanks. That's sweet," Samus said, "But c'mon, as if there was any doubt I would return OK."  
Victoria chuckled. "Yeah, I guess I knew you would, but, it's just... you have no idea how much of a chore it's been hanging with only these two guys and a giant Space Pirate baby. One more minute and I might have gone insane. I swear!"  
"Nice to know I made it back soon enough. Did the boys really give you that hard a time?"  
"Well, not totally. Malik's been really nice, as usual. But Scythe and Dusty, oh... they've been such pains so far..."

While Samus was listening, she caught sight of something reddish-white on Victoria's leg. Looking down, she saw it was a bandage wrapped tightly around her ankle. This puzzled her. "Oh... is that where Scythe hurt you? Malik told me about that."  
Victoria looked down, too. "Yeah, that's right..." She then sharply looked up at Dusty. "See Dusty? Even SHE noticed, and she didn't even cause it!"  
Dusty frowned. "Hey, I thought we already went over this! Short attention span, remember?" He tapped his noggin with his finger, as though somehow verifying his statement.  
"You're telling me," Samus remarked. "I can already tell you're denser than a box of hammers. I've been standing here five minutes already and you still haven't even said hello!"  
"Well pardon me!" he joked. "I was just waiting for you ladies to finish your conversation before I spoke, like a good boy!"  
"Yeah," Victoria groaned. "Now how about you be a good boy and jump into a black hole?"  
"Tried it once. Took me into the dimension of the Dancing Pickle People for about 5.938 seconds before farting me back out. Man, what a trip THAT was!"  
Samus and Victoria just looked at each other, one eyebrow raised. Goodness, what were they going to do with this guy?

Dusty suddenly seemed confused about his own speech. "Wait... what were we talking about again, Vicki?"  
"My ANKLE..."  
"Oh, of course. You have beautiful ankles, Vicki!"  
"Thanks, but not since one of them got sliced because of you!"  
It all came back to him right away. "Oh, that's right... Well, just give it some time. It'll heal."  
Victoria's once delighted face was now turning red at the cheeks. Her joy of Samus's return was now completely overtaken by her contempt for Dusty. It was really a sad thing to witness. "For goodness sake, Dusty! Would it kill you to just APOLOGIZE??"  
"Apolo-what? Use smaller words, pleeze!"  
Victoria looked about ready to blow. "Ugh, you're the single most uncaring, idiotic human being to ever plague the universe! It's a wonder you're even allowed to live!"

These words stung Dusty pretty sharply. His frown drooped ever lower, not sure what to say in response. It was clear to him now how much Victoria wished she hadn't been stuck working with him, so much so that he almost began to feel sorry for her...  
However, when he looked into those gorgeous hazel eyes of hers, it was hard for him to think about anything else. Her beauty was definitely a curse. It would be hard for any man to take her anger seriously when gazing into a face like hers. Granted, he had to admit that Samus was also very beautiful, but she was different - her angry look was enough to domesticate even a 100-foot monster. Victoria... no, it wasn't that way with her at all. If anything, her anger only seemed to make her look even prettier.  
...And that it why Dusty blamed his next words on this very curse...  
"Ya know, I've got hard evidence that you're looking hot tonight!"

Victoria didn't move or say anything for a very, very long time. She just stared coldly with her mouth slightly open. Samus, too, was completely waysided by that comment. She stepped back a foot or two to avoid the inevitable fireworks.  
However, there were no fireworks, for Victoria eventually just turned around in a huff and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. It didn't take a genius to know that she began to crying in there the second the door closed.

"No, wait!" Dusty shouted, now that he was free of her spell, "I, uhh... I didn't mean that! That's just my way of saying I'm sorry!" He then groaned and covered his forehead, and then looked up at Samus. "...Was it something I said?"  
Samus nodded. "Yes, Dusty. Probably the worst possible thing you could have said. Congratulations."  
"Thanks. I'm so honored..." he muttered. He was obviously joking, but his face looked more serious than usual.

"Well," said Samus, "I'm gonna go see about Scythe real quick, and then we'll be timesplitting over to Blobsoh VII. Would you like to stay and keep making a fool of yourself with Victoria, or come and introduce me?"  
Dusty looked back and forth between Samus and the bathroom door where Victoria was. He wasn't certain where he wanted to go just then...

Dusty could really do nothing more than just stare at the bathroom door, trying to peer through it to see the girl on the other side. The expression on his face was hard to discern, but Samus guessed it was mostly guilt.  
However, as sorry as Samus might have felt for him, she wasn't going to let the issues between these two get in the way of their job. Deep down, she knew this whole thing was just going to get worse and worse from here on out. Whether the two continued to argue or, by some divine miracle, actually made up and became a couple, they're relations would still interfere with Samus's duty. This burned her up inside. She was already feeling frustrated about things that hadn't even happened yet. Oh, to just be able to do this mission alone...  
_"Why, Mr Vapor?" _She kept asking herself. _"Why...?"_

With a stern face, Samus grabbed Dusty's shoulder and tugged hard. "Come on, Dusty. I can already tell that you'd be getting along with Scythe the best. I need you there for when I see him."  
Dusty resisted. "Uhh, no. I think I need to talk to Victoria..."  
"You just WERE talking to her, and things didn't work out so well, did they?"  
"Oh, gee. Thanks Samus. I forgot I was an idiot!"

His tone was surprisingly serious. It actually made Samus back down slightly. "Listen, Dusty. You're causing her a lot trouble. Give her some slack, a little time. She'll cool down eventually. In fact, it's probably just best to wait until the mission's over. I don't want your affairs to get in the way..."  
"Don't tell me what to do."  
"For God's sake, Dusty. You made her bleed, AND you made cry! Isn't that enough of a clue that you should back off for a little while? Maybe even for good?"

Dusty appeared to be listening. He scratched his mustache, something he did when he was thinking, which wasn't very often. "...Is it really all me? I mean, I know I can be a real goofball sometimes... alright, ALL the time. But still, am I really the only thing bothering her? Cuz if so, I've really gotta rethink my attitude, huh?"  
Samus just sighed. "No, Dusty. It's not all you... there's something else. A really BIG something else, actually."  
"Phew, that's a relief!" Dusty said with a smile. "But then... what is it?"  
"I'm not qualified to say. If you can earn her trust enough, though, she'll tell you. Then you'll understand. Don't worry."  
"Aw, thanks Samus! I should've known you were good at knowing women. That's probably because you ARE a woman, but what do I know?"  
"Not much, evidently."  
"Pssh! Be quiet."  
"As long as you do." "Deal."  
He took another guilt-ridden look at the bathroom door. Still no sign of anyone exiting. "I still feel like kind of a dick, though..."  
"That's probably because you ARE one, but... that's a subject for another time. Come on, I need a proper introduction with Scythe."  
"Gotcha. Let's go."

Samus and Dusty both walked out of the berth room, through the cockpit, and into the kitchen. What they saw in there was a real shocker.  
Scythe was in there alright. He had in his hand a bottle of mustard, and had squirted an insane amount of it all over the floor. He gazed down on it with a funny look of satisfaction, like it was his very first piece of artwork and he was quite proud of it. Dusty immediately bust out laughing. Samus, however, was far less pleased. "What the-?! What did the stupid thing do to my kitchen?!"  
Scythe looked up at her, and when he saw her, he right away sulked down like he was in big trouble.

"Aw, go easy on him, Samus!" Dusty said. "He's just showing his artistic merit. Ain't that right, little man?"  
Scythe then smiled and chirped happily. Samus was still not going to let him get away with it so easy, though. "I save you from being burnt alive by a star, almost getting MYSELF killed in the process, and this is my welcome back?! Oh, I'm gonna let you have it!"

Dusty looked to be examining the mustard designs on the floor. He looked like a detective, trying to solve some sort of mustard-related murder mystery. What could he possibly hope to find?  
He suddenly found it, and his eyes went wide. "Oh man! Samus, check this out! You're not gonna believe this!"  
"Oh, I believe it, alright! This little brat's gonna clean up every last drop. Why, if you'd been watching him instead of wooing over Victoria..."  
"No, seriously Samus! Actually LOOK at the mustard!"  
"Why would I want to? I can't stand to see it all over my floor!"  
"For God's sake, just read it!"  
"...What? _Read_ it?"  
"Yeah! It says something! Look, look!" He pointed with an excited finger.

Samus turned away from the cowering Scythe and tried to see what Dusty was pointing at. It didn't take long for her to realize what it was.  
Indeed, the mustard patterns were no random splats and streaks. They were actually arranged into letters...  
No, words.  
A full sentence.  
And what did the sentence say?  
Samus and Dusty had to stand back a bit to see it full, but when they did, they read it all:

_**NO MATTER HOW DARK THE NIGHT, MORNING ALWAYS COMES**_

Samus gasped. Dusty let out an audible "W...T...F?!"  
They both looked at one another, puzzled and astounded at the same time.  
And then they both gaped down at Scythe. In response to their confounded faces, he put his claws between his knees, rocked on his bottom, and giggled.

"This is..." Samus couldn't even find the right words to describe this bizarre happening. "...Y-you did say he had the mind of a baby, right?"  
"Well, I sure as heck THOUGHT he did, but... man, what in the world could've prompted him to do that?! This is awesome!!"  
"Awesome? You think so? To be honest, I'm a little freaked out."  
"Awesome, freaked out, same difference. I'll tell you what, though - this ain't no coincidence. This is nothing short of a miracle. One of God's miracles, no doubt about it!"

"Wow, for once we agree on something, Dusty. Definitely one of God's mir-"

Samus stopped herself. She stared at Dusty with a raised eyebrow, who didn't even notice. Did he just say what she thought he said?  
Dusty... knew the name 'God'?

For so many years, she'd gotten strange looks from anyone and everyone she met for seeming to randomly stick the name into the middle of sentences. Stranger still, even she didn't fully understand what the word meant.  
But Dusty...  
Could he really? What if he did...?!

All hope of further conversation was interrupted when Malik's booming voice exploded throughout the cabin.  
"HEY EV'RYBODY! WE'RE HEEERE!!"

"Wait here with Scythe," Samus ordered Dusty. Before he could respond, she was already hurrying into the cockpit. She needed to see exactly where they were. Upon stepping inside, she looked straight out the windshield to catch a glimpse of Blobsoh VII. However, all she could see was a mess of bright green leaves, as though Malik had driven then right into a bush.

"We made it Samus!" Malik announced happily.  
"Did we really? It's hard to tell..."  
"Aw, no worries honey. I figgered out how ta use dat 4D Splittah thing, and it warped us right heah! Didn't feel it, didja?"  
"Nope, but then you don't really feel it anyway. Traveling through the 4th dimension is just like, well... Traveling through the 3rd, I suppose."  
"Hehe, yup! Anyhow, we made it ta Blobsoh VII. So, uhh... what we gotta do here agin?"  
Samus put her hands on her hips. "We have to bless the baby, remember?"  
Malik snapped his fingers. "Oh yeeeeah! Dat's right! So, uhh... how we gonna do dat agin?"  
Samus curled her lip, not entirely sure how to answer. She wasn't worried, though. She of all people knew that when there was a will, there was a way. She'd visited countless planets in the past with no clear sight of what to do or where to go, and she always, ALWAYS got the job done in some way or another. This should be no exception. "We'll play by ear. Figure it out as we go along," she said. "The only thing I'm concerned about is Scythe. We'll have to bring him with us, but I've never had to escort a baby before..."

An idea seemed to slowly burrow into her mind at that point. "You know what? How's this for a plan - Victoria and I can go out now and scout around a while, just to gauge the planet's danger level and decide how to progress through it. Then you and Dusty can help Scythe up and out of the ship so he can join us."  
"Well, dat sounds like a good plan! But, wait a minute... how come you done chose the teams that you did?"  
"Because you and Scythe are the only ones that can stand Dusty's company. It's not a sex thing, trust me. It's just... Dusty."  
"Umm, what about Dusty and no sex?"  
"Mind out of the gutter, please. Just wait for about ten minutes after Victoria and I leave, then go in and tell Dusty the plan. I'm going to go get Victoria so we can move out."  
"Sho' thing, Ms Aran. Right away!"

Samus walked through the berth room and over to the bathroom door. She knocked softly.  
_"Umm, I'm in here!" _Victoria called out. There was such a heavy amount of distress in her voice that it made Samus cringe. _"Is that you, Dusty? Can you PLEASE just leave me alone?!"  
_"Don't worry, Victoria. It's me, Samus."  
_"Samus?? Oh, umm, I... I'm sorry..."  
_"It's fine. I understand you're upset, but listen - we've arrived at Blobsoh VII, so we need to get to work right away. How about you come out now?"  
_"...D-do I have to?"  
_"Oh Victoria, haven't you had enough time to cry out all those tears yet? I've already worked out the plan - we're splitting up into teams, and Dusty isn't on yours. If he's bothering you that much, just know you won't have to see him for a while."  
_"...So, who am I teams with, then?"  
_"Me. Just me."

After a while of silence, the bathroom door began to open carefully. Victoria poked her tiny head out, her eyes red and pouty. She looked right at Samus. "Really?"  
"Yes, really. So just come on out, OK? We really need to get a move on."  
Victoria nodded, opened the door all the way, and stepped out. She took a deep breath and attempted to blow away the negative miasma around her, and for the most part succeeded. She seemed about ready to go. "So what's the plan?" she asked.  
"Well, the two of us have to go out onto the surface and scout around to get a feel for the place, and then Dusty and Malik will follow up behind, aiding Scythe. As the scouters, we have to keep an eye out for the place where Scythe needs to be blessed. Is that clear?"  
"...Yes ma'am."  
"Good. Now, show me some of that good work ethic I've seen out of you before!"  
Victoria smiled slightly. "OK, I will..."

* * *

With a loud hissing sound, the overhead hatch of the Gunship slid open. The first out was Samus, fitted into her complete Varia Suit and equipped for action. She stepped onto the ship's rain-glazed roof and stood there for a second to admire the planet's striking scenery. Victoria wasn't too far behind, clad from head to toe in her blue Bounty Hunter suit. She joined Samus in her first glimpse of this strange new world...


	4. Part 3

Blobsoh VII, from their vantage point, could best be described as a swampland. However, that made it sound unpleasant, for it truly was a breathtaking sight to behold. Enormous trees grew straight out of the clear gold-colored water and grew so high as to make their canopies seem to reach into another dimension completely. It's sun was large and red, which covered the world in a mellow orange aura and made it all surprisingly serene. A plethora of exotic flowers and fungi sprung from the water and moist green earth, and practically embodied the term 'wonderland'. The intricacies visible from where Samus and Victoria stood seemed to beckon them, begging them to just jump right in and start exploring.  
And sure enough, Samus was right - Malik HAD driven them right into a bush. Crazy guy...

"Oh, wow..." Victoria nearly whispered. "This is... I, I've never seen any place like this."  
"Me neither," Samus said in a similar, awed tone. "Well, I'm definitely willing to get started. You?"  
"No doubt!" Victoria replied enthusiastically.  
"Great. Let's go!" Samus exclaimed, hopping off the Gunship and into a pond of ankle-deep, golden water.  
"Hey, wait up!" Victoria said, hopping off after her.

* * *

"So... So, so, so... we have to find a place where Scythe is to be 'blessed'... What exactly does 'blessed' even mean, Samus?"  
The feminine duo had been walking through Blobsoh VII's gnarled and marshy terrain for nearly ten minutes. Samus had been leaving a trail for Dusty and Malik to follow later on by marking trees with a black X, courtesy of her Plasma Beam. So far, though, the girls hadn't found any clues as to where this 'blessing' place might be.  
"Blessed," Samus began, "means, I suppose, to be graced with a sort of divine gift, or something along those lines."  
"Really? Do we have any idea what power Scythe is supposed to get?"  
"No. Not at all."  
"And, umm, who's the one that's supposed to give him his gift? Is there some alien life-form here that's supposed to do it?"  
"It's possible, but I think the term 'blessed' is more often used to describe a gift delivered by... someone of a much higher order."  
"Oh, like... a government? Or, something? I don't understand what you mean."

Samus had stopped walking, and didn't appear to have heard Victoria's last statement. She was focused on a large, gnarly-looking yellow fungus that was dripping with a thick, silver liquid. Victoria couldn't tell why Samus had become so alert, but she knew something was wrong by the way she stared.  
And by the way she raised her Arm Cannon and readied her missiles...

* * *

Malik was still sitting around in the cockpit, not doing much of anything. He'd seen Samus and Victoria hop out of the overhead hatch, but they didn't say anything to him about what they were doing or where they were going, so he decided to just stay put. As his mind wandered, he began to ponder over many things...

Just what the hell was 'The Seed', anyway? It was frustrating that they're entire mission revolved around this thing, and he still had no idea what it was for. And the 'power' it was supposed to possess... if the Space Pirates wanted it as much as they did, it must have been very potent. But what could it be?  
And on the subject of the Space Pirates, where were they? Surely they knew that Samus had escaped the Orpheon by now. Could they be in pursuit even as he stood there thinking? Were they on their way to Blobsoh VII to take back what was originally theirs? What they originally discarded as an annoying burden only to learn soon after about its massive potential?  
Indeed, these were questions worth pondering over.

Growing bored, and worried for the two ladies, Malik wheeled over to the kitchen where he knew Dusty and Scythe were. It was about time for them to head out and start following the trail the girls had left for them to follow. He opened the door and rolled inside. There, he saw Dusty talking goofily to Scythe about something, who was laughing as usual. There was also some yellow liquid splattered all over the floor...

Dusty looked up and smiled. "What's up, Malik?" But Malik wasn't listening. He was just staring at the liquid all over the floor. "Umm... Dusty? What's all dis yellow stuff all over da place? Did Scythe go to da bafroom o' sumthin?"  
"Uh, yeah!" Dusty replied, patting Scythe on the head. "And you know what? He's gonna be rich, cuz he's the first Pirate to ever piss mustard!"  
"Oh..." Malik now realized what was going on after he saw Scythe squeezing the mustard bottle. "...Should we maybe, umm, clean it up o' somethin?"  
"Clean it up?!" Dusty was almost offended by that suggestion. "You, my friend, obviously have not witnessed... the message!"  
"Da what?"  
"Come here. Have a look, why don't ya?"  
Malik scooted over to a spot between Dusty and Scythe, and looked down at where Dusty pointed. It took a few seconds, but when Malik finally saw it, his huge mouth dropped open in surprise.

"_NO MATTER HOW DARK THE NIGHT, MORNING ALWAYS COMES..._"

"Daaaamn..." Malik uttered. He glanced suspiciously at Scythe, who was shaking the mustard bottle, then looked up at Dusty. "You SURE Scythe drew dis?"  
"Hey, he's the mustard artist. Not me!"  
"Wow... dat's kinda skeery. Purty cool, but... skeery. I still think we should maybe clean it up, though. I dun think Samus'll like it very much if we-"  
"No!" Dusty shouted. "Don't you see?? This is a divine miracle. We CAN'T mess with it, not even a little bit! This is a message from beyond our scope of knowledge, and anything that even touches a DROP of that mustard will die by my hand! You get me?"  
"Um, ahhh... yeah, I get ya," Malik replied, not really getting him.  
Dusty grinned. "Awesome. Now, umm... what was it you wanted?"  
"Oh, right! I was gonna tell you da plan. Bof of da girls already went off the scout the planet a bit, and we're s'pposed ta follow 'em now. And we gotta take Scythe wid us, too."  
"What? They left us to babysit the little guy? Man, and here I thought taking care of the baby was a WOMENS' job. Hmm..."  
"Seriously. But ya do git along wid 'im bettah dan the rest of us. Anyways, we oughtta get goin', too..."  
"No, wait! Malik, I wanna show you something. Come over here, and see what I found!"

Dusty ran over to a dresser of sorts near the wall and motioned for Malik to join him over there. Scythe became thrilled by Dusty's excitement, so he cooed, got on his hands and knees, and crawled hastily over. Malik was curious, so he wheeled himself over next to Dusty. "So, whass the big deal?" he asked.  
Dusty gripped the dresser thing tightly and slid it along the tile ground. As it was pushed out of the way, it revealed a small hole in the wall. It looked to have been drilled through. When Dusty was done, he pointed casually at it. "Take a peek!"  
Malik slowly and reluctantly leaned forward, closed his left eye, and looked through with his right eye.  
After a few seconds, he pulled back, and shrugged. "Just looks like da showah ta me..."  
Dusty smiled like a dumb teenager. "Yup. The shower. In other words... JACKPOT!"

Malik raised an eyebrow. "...Wha-?! Boy, what da HELL are you thinkin' bout?"  
"What the hell do you THINK I'm thinking about? You should know!"  
"Aw, come on, man! Dat's wrong on so many levels it ain't even funny..."  
"Don't you mean, that it IS funny?"

"N-no! That it's... not f-funny...!" The moral in Malik's message was shattered when his mouth spread into a big toothy grin. He was clearly trying hard not to laugh.  
Dusty's grin grew even wider. "Ah-HA! I knew it! Even you admit this was a glorious find! C'mon, admit it! Don't tell me you don't like lookin'!"  
"You crazy, dawg? Hell, I be pushin' you outta da way to see some o' dat!"  
"Hehe... thought so. Gold, pure gold, ain't it?"  
"Yeeeeah..."  
Scythe was snickering, trying to stand up so he could see through the hole, too. Dusty sat him back down and shook a disapproving finger. "No no, little buddy. This is only for BIG boys!"

Malik gazed at the hole for a minute or so, and over the course of that minute, his big smile slowly melted into an expression that was slightly more serious. "...Aw, but Dusty... dey's good ladies. Bof of 'em. Ya really shouldn't be peekin' like dat, 'specially not dem. Dey's great ladies. Great ladies..."  
"Exactly, 'great' ladies, if ya know what I mean!" Dusty purred and made an hourglass motion with his hands.  
Malik chuckled, but only a little bit. "Yeah, sure... but if you know what I mean. I means I respect 'em too much to wanna do dat."  
"Oh Malik, you're starting to sound like Samus. Lighten up a bit! Are you just scared cuz you have a nagging wife at home that'll snap your dick in half if you look at another chick?"  
"Naw, I ain't gots a wife..."

Dusty's laughter slowly came to a stop. For some reason, he was very surprised to hear that. "...Pssh, really? Big tough guy like you, and no wife?"  
"Weeell, ta be honest, I actually been married two times. Neither one of 'em worked out, though..."  
"Oh yeah? Why's that?"  
"Ya know, I never was too sure why. Over da years, though, I thought about it, and I think... I think in the end, most o' da problems we had could be traced back to mah legs..."  
As he finished his last sentence, Malik's voice had gone down to barely above a whisper. He stared down at the wheeled device that had substituted for his long-lost legs for nearly half his life. Dusty couldn't stand the melancholy air that was beginning to fill the room, so he had to make a joke. "Oh, I get it. Trouble in bed, huh?"  
"Yeah, 'mong other thangs..." Malik moaned unhappily.  
This was followed by a long silence.

Dusty looked at the hole in the wall, and spoke as he did. "I think I get you. For real, I mean..."  
"Dat's good," Malik replied. "Yeah, evah since da second divorce, I just kinda lost faith in mah love abilities. Nowadays, every woman I meet, I only try to see now as a friend. O' course, sometimes I gotta kinda... force it, ya know? Cuz sometimes I meet some really good ladies. Iss kinda hard sometimes, but I manage ta do it."  
"Aw, dag," Dusty groaned empathetically. "Man, I am SO sorry. I just couldn't live that way. Seriously!"  
"Hey man, don't rub it in..."  
"Oh, sorry."  
"Iss all good. Worst part is, though, I got no one ta blame but mehself. My legs... I shoulda been more careful in dat battlefield. Man, I shoulda seen dat land mine..."  
"Yeah..." Dusty had to let that thought settle for a second or two. It wasn't until later that he actually understood. "OoooOOOHHHH!! GodDAMN! That SUCKS!"  
"I know. It was purty nasty!" Malik laughed.  
Dusty was glad to at last hear a laugh out of Malik, and began to laugh too. As expected, Scythe joined in.

Malik then shook his head and sighed. "Welp, ya ready to start trailin' after da girls?"  
"On it!" Dusty exclaimed, picking Scythe up, piggyback style. "And I promise you man, when I'm peekin' tonight, I'll enjoy twice as much - for the both of us!"  
Malik snickered. "Thanks, man. Just, uhh... be keerful. 'Specially when you're watchin' Victoria. She's already kinda sour wit you. She'd be awfully mad if she saw you lookin'..."  
"Don't worry - that ain't gonna happen!" Dusty assured him.

Still laughing, the two guys have each other a buddy high-five and exited the Gunship through the hatch, ready to begin the journey to Scythe's blessing place...

* * *

Samus approached the strange fungus with such apprehension that it even made Victoria nervous. When she saw Samus with her Missiles ready, she felt inclined to reach for her pistol in its holster. She still couldn't see the threat, though...  
"Samus?" she asked quietly. "What's wrong?"  
"Shhh!" Samus shushed her, and continued to advance slowly. The silver liquid dripped and dropped from the shiny yellow mushroom and into the golden water perpetually. It was a sick, yet oddly fascinating sight. And yet, in Samus's eyes, seemingly very dangerous...

Samus suddenly stopped. Victoria did too, wondering what was going to happen next.  
The sound of a missile being loaded was heard.  
Victoria watched as Samus steadied her aim...  
And, without a moment's delay, fired.  
_BANG!_

"RRRRAAAAGGGGLLHHH!!"

The giant mushroom suddenly uprooted itself and sprang from the ground! It landed on two chubby feet which had once been concealed beneath the dirt. Samus's missile flew directly into the giant, squishy dome, and exploded on contact. It didn't leave a scratch.

The giant, stalking fungus squeeled its strange, high-pitched noise and began to lumber towards the shallow water straight towards Samus. Backing up quickly, she fired another missile, but as last time, it had no effect. In fact, it only seemed to aggravate the monster further, as it squirted a jet of silver goo out of some unknown hole in its body straight at her visor. Its aim was perfect, and Samus's vision was blocked. The beast took advantage of this and proceeded to trample her down with its big, pudgy feet.  
Victoria had now come to realize exactly what was going on. The mushroom monster was now standing right on top of Samus, crushing her under its weight. Then, at its base, a wide, round mouth filled with row after row of katana-like teeth began to open.

Letting out a scream for Samus, Victoria pulled out her pistol and fired ceaselessly at the big yellow bulb. It squeeled in annoyance, closing its mouth and now turning its attention on her. It hopped off of Samus and began to lumber through the water after Victoria. She kept firing and firing, hoping to slow it down. None of her shots even fazed it. Just as it was about to ram her down, she leapt out of the way at the last second, landing face first into the water. The creature pulsated in excitement, knowing its prey was on the ground and an easy target. It promptly whipped around and bounded back over, hoping to keep her down.

As Victoria tried to scramble to her feet, Samus called out and stopped her. "NO! Victoria, stay on the ground!"  
However, she was in such a fit of panic she wasn't listening. Samus had an idea, but Victoria needed to cooperate and stay down. This was something she wasn't going to do willingly. Therefore, Samus did the only thing she could. She aimed at Victoria's chest, and fired a missile.  
The Missile hit Victoria's armor hard, knocking the wind out of her, and forcing her back down.

The fungus at that moment was sailing in the air after a high leap, and now had her trapped under its massive girth. Victoria's eyes widened as the deadly jaws began to open in its underside, threatening to chew and swallow her head first. She tried to scream, but Samus's missile blow had left her hardly able to breathe...

All of a sudden, a familiar metallic ball rolled from the outside right underneath the mushroom with her. It skimmed through the golden water, practically bounced off her face, and flew right up into the creature's mouth!  
There was a strange silence then. The creature sputtered, not liking what it had just eaten.  
Then came a muffled_ BOOM! _from within. A wisp of smoke leaked through its long, pointed teeth.  
Seeing what was, Victoria flipped over onto her stomach and crawled out from underneath it as fast as she could.  
And not a second later, the mushroom let out a squeal of agony, and plopped down in the water. Lifeless.

Victoria sat there in the glistening, vibrating pool, just staring at the huge, dead mushroom before her. As she did, something strange began to happen. Something almost amazing. The bulbous yellow dome and body slowly began to melt into a shining, silver-colored liquid. It was the same liquid that had been protruding from its body the entire time it'd been alive, and it was now literally morphing into the stuff. Not only that, but the goop was transfusing throughout the entire pool, turning it from a clear gold to a solid silver in a matter of minutes. It was a beautiful metamorphosis to behold.

Once the body of the beast had all but melted away, all that remained was that orange, metal ball. As Victoria anticipated, it promptly opened up like an egg and stretched into the shape of the woman who she now respected more than ever.

Samus examined the silver goop that coated her Bounty Hunter suit. It stretched like glue. "Ehh," she moaned. "I've been covered in grosser stuff."  
Victoria smiled. "Thanks Samus. I forget sometimes how good a fighter you are..."  
"You call that a fight? You wouldn't believe some of the things I've gone up against in the past! 50-foot four-legged robots, giant parasites, Omega Pirates... that mushroom was a mini-boss at the most."  
"Oh, yeah. I guess you're right. It was still kind of hard for me, though..." As Victoria slumped over in shame, Samus secretly shook her head. If Victoria couldn't handle a thing like this, was she really cut out for this sort of job? Her limitations were a lot steeper than Samus had initially realized. This could be a real problem later on, for all of them...  
"Listen, sorry I had to shoot you in the chest like I did."

"Oh, it's alright. I know why you did it. And, uhh... it didn't hurt too much."  
"Really? That's good."  
"Uh-huh..."

Samus looked around the pool she was standing in, and observed how it was now all milky silver. "I don't know about you, but I get the feeling that we didn't fight that thing for no reason..."  
"Hm? What do you mean?"  
"I don't know. Keep your eyes peeled for any clues."  
The two waded around the pool and tried to look for a sign that they were headed in the right direction. Some sign that this battle against Mr Mushroom hadn't been in vain. Some proof that maybe, this battle was a key benchmark in finding Scythe's blessing place...

Sure enough, Samus's intuition had been correct. Victoria spotted something carved in the tree that the mushroom had once rested by. "Hey Samus, come check this out! Think you can read it??"  
Samus sloshed through the water and up to the tree where Victoria was. Carved into the tree was a symbol of the Chozo... The Chozo...?  
The same Chozo that had raised Samus after a Space Pirate raid had destroyed her beloved Urrth colony? So they'd settled here on Blobsoh VII, too...

Samus studied the symbol curiously, but didn't seem to go beyond just seeing it. "Ugh... five years ago, and I would have known this! Hmm... I need a little pick-me-up..." She reached into her suit and pulled out something familiar to Victoria - her medal. The medal she'd earned from Mr Vapor after completing her first mission. The one with the Chozo symbol embedded on its surface. For some reason, Victoria felt compelled to take out her own medal and give it a look, too.

At last, the answer came to Samus like a flash. "Yes, that's it! Just needed a little reminder." She got back to studying the marking on the tree. "This says... let's see... it says, 'follow'... 'silver'... 'river'? Or 'stream'? Hmm..."

"Anything else?" Victoria questioned.  
"No, that's the gist of it. I guess it's saying to follow the silver stream."  
"Oh, OK. But, where's the silver stream at?"

Both girls slowly turned their heads towards the shining, silver water mass at their feet. After a short scan of the pond's perimeter, they simultaneously spotted something that neither one of them had noticed before. Branching off from the pool was a small, trickling stream that led deeper into Blobsoh VII's uncharted woods. Having once been clear and golden, it now flowed like a river of quicksilver through the orange brush.  
Samus and Victoria both then looked at one another, and with a nod, both pressed on, following the silver stream to goodness-knows-where. Hopefully, it was somewhere they wanted to be...

* * *

In the middle of a forsaken section of the Blobsoh VII swamplands, a huge shadow blocked out the orange sunlight, casting a veil of grey over the looming trees and golden waters. The shadow grew ever larger, created by a foreign object lowering itself into the atmosphere. The object forced its way through the overhead tree canopy, causing all nearby animal life to flee in terror. Within minutes, all was silent, save for the humming engine of this alien beast.  
The Orpheon Pirate vessel lowered itself onto a large, moss-covered boulder in the thicket of Blobsoh VII. Once comfortably landed, the doors opened, and out ran a platoon of a dozen Space Pirates wielding their laser pistols. Unit 1013, the pilot and basically self-proclaimed leader of the ship, stepped out soon after to observe this new territory.  
"Unit 1013, what are your orders?" cried on Pirate, who disembarked after him.  
"We're to find Samus Aran and her crew and take back Unit 1206. Once we do that, we will return to Old Major and finish what we started. The Seed's power will be in our control, and the Space Pirates will rule the universe!"  
"Ah, I see. Spectacular plan, sir. But, umm... perhaps we're thinking too far ahead? After all, there are many variables that could affect the plan."  
"Don't give me that negative talk! Reaching beyond our grasp is what us Space Pirates do. It's the only way anything worthwhile gets accomplished."  
"I understand that, sir, but I must disagree..."  
"Still your tongue! If I remember, YOU were the one who was supposed to keep your eye on Samus while she was imprisoned. And what happened? Not only did she steal our newly found data about The Good Seed, but she also hijacked one of our pods and escaped without a scratch! Sounds like SOMEone didn't do their job!"  
"With all due respect, sir, that wasn't my job. I'm the chef."  
"Oh... Then what are you talking to me for?! Get in there and FINISH MAKIN' MEH DINNAH!"

By now, all the mercenary Pirates on board were out of the ship and awaiting orders. Unit 1013 stepped in front of them all.  
"OK men, we're here on Blobsoh VII to take back that which rightfully belongs to us! Are you all ready?"  
All the Pirates cheered and armed their weapons. "Excellent! Now, here's my plan - we'll first need to seize Unit 1206, or 'Scythe' as some may know him, from Samus and her team. In order to do that, I feel it is best that we split into two squads - a larger one to go out and explore, and another one with fewer members to stay and guard the ship in case Samus or one of her teammates arrives. Is that clear?"  
The Pirates all responded in agreement.  
"Good! Now, I will surely lead the exploration team into the swamp. The rest of you, decide your positions for yourselves!"

The next twenty minutes consisted of all the Pirates busily trying to decide which squadron to join. Once those twenty minutes were up, the whole platoon had been divided into two, Unit 1013 leading the pack of the larger team to head off into the wilderness. Only a dozen or so had volunteered to stay behind, but they swore to do their job well. With that, the exploration squad was off.

An untold amount of time passed. Unit 1013 and his fellow Pirates spent hours on end slicing through vines and bushes, warding off hostile bugs and creatures, evading pitfalls and bottomless pools of golden water, only to find but one thing over and over - more swamp. For whatever reason, it had suddenly occurred to them that they were essentially looking for a needle in a haystack - one Pirate on an entire planet? What were the odds of finding such things just by walking? Unit 1013 realized this foolishness and ordered all troops to return to the Orpheon right away.  
"But sir... where exactly is the Orpheon again?"  
"It's, umm... well, it's around here somewhere. Keep your eyes open!"

"But we've been walking for hours. We could be miles away from it now, and we have no idea which direction to go in!"  
"Or, for goodness sake! Wasn't anybody leaving a trail or anything?"  
"I was, sir! I was dropping jellybeans this whole time so we could follow them back."  
"...Well, where the hell are they, then?!"  
"Oh... You were dropping those jellybeans to leave as a trail? Oops..."  
"Unit 5930! Don't tell me you ate our trail!"  
"Sorry sir, but c'mon! Free jellybeans! Who could resist?"  
"Free?! You sir, will pay for those jellybeans with your LIFE if you don't find us some way to get back!"  
"W-what?! Oh shit. Umm... Uhhhh... Oh hey, the Orpheon's right over there!"  
Everyone looked over, and sure enough, clear across a golden lake and a flowerbed, was the Orpheon upon its boulder.  
Unit 1013's jaw dropped open. "Wait a minute... you mean to tell me we've just gone around in one big circle?!"  
"It would seem that way, sir."  
"Well, err... I suppose in our current situation, that's a good thing. Let's head on back over!"  
"Aw man! All those jellybeans gone to waste..."

Unit 1013 ran back to the landing site, wading through the pool and over the flowers, with all his companions following behind him. "Change of plans!" he yelled to the dozen that were guarding the space craft. "We're taking off and searching the planet from overhead! Get back on the ship and get ready!"  
However, something wasn't right. He heard no response nor saw any movement near the ship as he and his crew drew closer to it. Why were they so inactive? Had something happened? What possibly could...?  
The moment he stepped into the clearing, he stopped, and looked around. His jaws hung open in awe at what he saw.

Each and every Pirate that had been guarding the ship was now lying face down on the mossy ground. A single look and one knew right away that they were stone dead. Killed by some unspeakable creature.  
Just hours before, they had been alive and well. And now, there they lay, murdered in cold blood.

Unit 1013's team immediately erupted in nervous and angry conversation.  
"What in the universe did this?!"  
"It was Samus, no doubt!"  
"Yes, it must be! She knows we're here!"  
"Geez, look at all the blood."  
"Aw man, that guy owed me money. I'll never get it now!"

"SILENCE!!" Unit 1013 shouted, immediately shutting them all up. With that, he ordered everyone else to stay put while he examined the scene of the crime. He stepped into the field of bodies for a closer look, and right away noticed something odd. The way the corpses were arranged... it looked to be a sort of pattern...  
An arrow. Pointing into the woods.  
Puzzled, he looked into the direction the 'arrow' appeared to direct. It pointed into the woods, but seemingly nowhere special. Perhaps he had missed something? He looked back at the corpses, careful not to miss a single detail. There had to be some significance to this phenomenon. There simply had to be...  
At that moment, another strange detail showed itself. The one Pirate that formed the 'tip' of the arrow was the only one that wasn't lying on its back. Its chest was also notably bloody. Curious, Unit 1013 walked over and observed many small bugs resembling termites crawling around the chest wounds, presumably having caused them. And yet, the wounds themselves were something else entirely...  
They spelled a message. A message written in Chozo script.  
Thankfully, Unit 1013 was skilled at deciphering such scripts. He translated it without trouble, and said the translation out loud to himself...

**BLESSING GROUNDS BEYOND FOREST**

A stunning realization came to him right then - this strange and wonderful twist of fate was actually a sign showing them where to find the blessing grounds! Seeing as that was where Samus must have been heading, he and his men would be able to set up their ambush there and take Scythe back! Whatever creatures had devised this display had his thanks, for sure. He was glad to know that the divine forces behind The Seed's power were on the side of the Pirates after all!

Satisfied, Unit 1013 stood up turned towards his comrades. They all stood at attention, awaiting his orders.  
"Everyone," he announced, "Good news... We have a lead!"  
The Pirates roared in triumph. After hours of searching with no results, they were very excited to hear these news! "Very good. Everyone on the ship. I will pilot us to the temple, and there we will wait for Samus and her team to arrive. Once they do, we will have our revenge, and our power! Are you ready?!"  
With a series of enthusiastic hoots and hollers, all the Pirates flocked into the ship and got ready for take-off. Unit 1013 followed them in, and immediately made his way to the pilot's seat. While he started up the engine, he looked out the front window to see exactly which way the arrow of dead comrades pointed. Once he clarified the direction, he set a flight path, lifted the craft off the ground, and began to fly forth.  
Eventually, they would reach their goal...  
"And when we do..." Unit 1013 whispered to himself, "...we'll be that much closer...!"

* * *

"Hey Victoria, what's the rush?? Slow down!"  
"C'mon, I wanna know where this river will lead us!"  
"Well I do to, but really, we should save our energy. It's not like the planet will explode if we don't get there in five minutes..."  
"You don't know that!"  
"Oh... fine. I'll keep up."

Victoria was running several steps ahead of Samus, following the silver stream to a destination unknown. Victoria was surprisingly zealous. Her face was stern with concentration, as though she had to work hard to keep this glittering stream in her range of vision. Samus was curious as well, but not to the same extent. She was doing it all for business, as well as to keep the Space Pirate army from growing any stronger. Victoria seemed to have a different reason entirely, what it was exactly, Samus didn't know. She figured it was no use to ask, and simply tried to keep up.

After perhaps an hour of following the stream, Victoria's pace began to slow down, and eventually slowed to a walk. Samus walked beside her, observing the river at their feet.  
"How strange..." she said, "After flowing this long, you'd think the puss from that fungus would have long since dissipated by now. But it's still as thick and silver as it was in the beginning."  
"Hmm... that's true, isn't it?" Victoria thought. "Makes you wonder if that weird mushroom was really natural, huh?"  
"Oh, I'm sure it wasn't. Probably planted there by the ancients as some sort of stepping stone to... wherever."  
"Yeah. Oh, and Samus? I, umm... I never thanked you for saving me from that thing. So... thank you."  
"Don't mention it. After all, I've saved your life once already. The second time almost feels like no big deal."  
"Oh, well... that's good, I guess. Anyways, I kinda wonder what other elaborate methods the ancients used to direct people to the blessing grounds."  
"Hm? You seem awfully confident that we're being led to the blessing grounds. How can you be sure?"  
"Well, where else would we be heading?"  
"I don't know, really. It does seem logical, but I'm just beginning to have my doubts, especially since we've been walking for nearly an hour and... oh, hey! What's that?"

The silver stream ran under a tall bush, and when Samus and Victoria parted it open, there lay a magnificent sight. The silver stream fell off the face of a small cliff, cascading into the moat of an enormous stone building, tucked away in the naval of the swamp. The stones were orange-colored, as though they drank the mellow light of the sun itself, and were arranged into towers so high the surrounding trees appeared to bow down in shame. The entire structure was clothed in wrapping vines and all manner of flora and fungi, giving it a very surreal, yet natural, facade. Its shadow loomed over the two Bounty Hunters, casting them in grey darkness.

Victoria swallowed heavily. Her heart rate already quickening, she turned to Samus. "Goodness... have you ever seen anything so huge?"  
Samus meagerly shrugged. "Hm, it's a pretty good size. Though, I've seen bigger things that were alive."  
"Wow..." Victoria muttered in disbelief.  
"So where's the entrance?"  
"I have no idea. The other side maybe?"  
"Could be. Let's check it out."  
Samus quickly equipped her Plasma Beam and scorched a black 'X' mark in a nearby tree, one of many she'd left as a trail for Dusty and Malik to follow. She knew this was the last one she would need to leave.

With that done, she and Victoria hopped down the cliff face into the temple's moat and waded waist-deep through it, around to the other side of the building. Protruding from the wall was the large head of a serpent, carved in orange stone. The huge open maw served as the temple's entrance. Samus quickly hopped from the moat onto the drawbridge and walked inside. Victoria needed some coaxing first, for the idea of walking into the mouth of a snake really unsettled her. Thankfully, Samus managed to get her inside.

The blessed temple of Blobsoh VII...

If there was anything more primal-feeling than the outside of the temple, it was definitely the interior. The foyer was incredibly spacious, littered with live and decaying plant life. The high ceiling was supported by stone columns that looked like they might crumble at any second. It was also quite dark inside, the only light being the red sunlight leaking in from the entrance. What a strange place for a 'blessing' to supposedly happen... Perhaps they'd learn more if they explored deeper.

Samus and Victoria trod slowly across the cracked, root-riddled floor all the way to the end of the room, where they found but a statue of an unidentifiable animal. It appeared to be a mixture of a bird and a serpent, for lack of a better description. What was more interesting, though, was the mount it stood upon. There were several Chozo symbols carved into it, spelling out long and complex sentences. Some stone buttons adorned the right side.  
"D-do you know what they say?" stammered Victoria, shaking in her suit.  
"I'm trying to decipher them, give me a minute..." Samus said. She read the first line of symbols several times over, hoping to grasp the message. At long last, she nodded. "OK, this first part says something along the lines of, 'You who come, answer three trial questions. Prove yourself to be the guardian."  
"The... guardian?" Victoria asked. "Guardian of what?"  
"I don't know. That's all it says. Well, the first line, anyway. Give me a second and I'll decipher the rest." For almost ten minutes, Samus read the symbols over and over again, trying to unlock their meaning. Victoria waited anxiously, looking around the room with her hands tightly cupped at her chest.

"Right, first question," Samus finally announced. "It says, 'Would you rather stay be inside during a thunderstorm or be outside in the sun?"  
"...What kind of question is that?"  
"Tell me about it. But there are buttons here that represent both choices. If we're to press on, we need to give this thing the answers it wants to hear."  
"Why? What happens if we choose a wrong answer?"  
"I don't know. Maybe some trap will open up and we'll be sliced to pieces."  
Victoria whimpered at that remark.  
"Oh, I was just kidding!" Samus laughed. "Now c'mon, which do you prefer?"

Victoria took a deep breath, trying to blow the butterflies out of her stomach. "Umm... I, well... I do like the sun, but... probably the thunderstorm one. No, wait! The sun. Yeah. Yeah, the thunderstorm... I mean, the thunderstorm..."  
Samus just stared at her. "Umm, is that a vote for the thunderstorm?"  
"Y-yes! Yes, the thunderstorm. Sorry, I'm just a little... this place is kinda scary..."

"It's fine, just try to settle down, OK? And yeah, I agree. Being indoors during a storm is nice. So I guess I just press this here, and..."  
Samus pressed one of the stone buttons inward. There was a faint_ RRRUMBLE _from within the temple walls, but that was all.

"Sounds like something good happened," Samus thought. "Anyway, next question - What scares you most - heights, enclosed spaces, or nuclear war?"  
"Hmm... what exactly is nuclear war again?"  
"War waged with nuclear weapons, of course. Usually devastating enough to wipe out entire planets. I hear that's happened quite a few times, actually..."  
"Really? Wow... Well, honestly, this is kind of a tough one. I'm not sure. What about you?"  
"Let's see... I'm not afraid of heights, since falling from high places never hurts me anyway. I'm not claustrophobic - I regularly squeeze myself into a sphere the size of a basketball. I guess that only leaves nuclear war. I'm not REALLY afraid of it, but if I have to choose..."  
"Yeah, go with nuclear war. I think that's the one that scares me the most, too."  
Samus nodded and pressed another one of the buttons in. Another _RRRUMBLE_, followed by nothing else. If they had to guess, they'd say they were making progress. Just one more question now...

Samus cleared her throat. "Last question is... what is your favorite color?"  
Victoria snorted a little bit. "What?? Isn't that question kind of... childish?"  
"Seems like it, but... that's the question. So, what's your favorite, then?"  
"Oh, blue! Definitely. Why do you think I chose this color suit? Cuz it's my favorite!"  
"Blue? Really? Hmm..."  
Victoria noticed Samus looked to be pondering heavily over something. "What's wrong, Samus?"  
"Hmmm... simply put, something's not right here. See, my favorite color is orange, indicated by my suit color, just like you. The problem is, there are only three color choices to pick from, none of which are blue OR orange..."  
"That's odd. What are the colors?"  
"Green, red, and black."

"Huh? Oh... weird..."  
"Yeah. If this really is supposed to be a sort of test for us, we should already know the answer. Or rather, our favorite color SHOULD be one of these three..."  
"Well, umm... I kind of like green. It's probably my second favorite. Maybe we should put that?"  
"Maybe, but my favorite of these three is black. Uggh... and here I thought we were supposed to agree on everything..."  
"Could we just guess, then? And start over if it's not right?"  
"I'm not sure if we'll be permitted to do that..."  
"Why? What would stop us?"  
Samus sighed and shook her head. "I don't know..."

Samus just wasn't willing to let this enigma slip past her. She studied the symbols intently, hoping she'd made a mistake translating the question or any of the three answers. Try as she might, though, it made no difference.  
"Samus, don't you think we might be kinda blowing this out of proportion?" Victoria wondered. "I mean, it's just asking what our favorite color is. Maybe whoever made it is just curious?"  
"I doubt it," Samus replied. "This has to be some sort of code... A code that, if input correctly, will prove we're the 'Guardians'. But what could it be?? There has to be some solution..."  
Victoria shrugged. "Well, Dusty and Malik should be making their way here. Maybe when they get here, they can help us?"  
Samus stopped reading, and looked up. "...Sigh... I guess we don't really have a better plan, do we?"  
"I don't think so. Let's just wait for them. I don't want you burning yourself out."  
"You sure? You'd rather wait around for Dusty than try and stay as far ahead of him as possible?"  
Victoria opened her mouth to speak, but almost immediately retreated. She bit her lip, not exactly sure what to think...  
Until at last, she answered, "...Yes, I'd rather wait."

* * *

"Malik, I think we're lost... Yup, definitely lost! Aw no, what're we gonna DO?! We'll have to eat each other to survive! I'll eat your ear first and you can have my left pinky finger. How's that sound?"  
"Boy, what the hell you talkin' bout?! Dere's another tree wid a 'X' on it right over theah!"  
"What, seriously?!"  
"Yeeah, man! Right over dat way!"  
"But, but... I see one over THERE!! Oh man, Samus left two paths! Which tree are we gonna follow!? AGH!!"  
"Man, you and me is lookin' at da same tree!!"  
"...R-really? No lie?"  
"No. No lie, man. Use yo' eyes!"  
"Sorry, I forget how sometimes."  
"Whatevah. Less keep movin'. A hour of walkin' in da woods wid you and a fussy baby on mah back is enough ta drive me nuts..."

The past hour or so, Dusty and Malik had followed the path of trees marked with black X's. Malik had long since figured out that Samus's trail always ran parallel with the silver stream, so he knew that all they had to do was follow the stream and they would get to where they needed to go. He didn't bother explaining this to Dusty, though. It might be too much for his feeble mind to understand.

Sure enough, after only five more minutes of scrambling trough the woods, the sight of the blessing temple at last came into view. Its massive stone and leafy majesty left the two breathless. Dusty almost suffocated to death.  
"Good-NESS! Have you ever seen anything so gynormous before?"  
"Gyno... what? I ain't so good wit big words, man..."  
"Oh, my bad. I mean to say, it's freaking huge, isn't it?!"  
"Man, tell me mo' about it! I'd bet bof my ahms that dis is the place!"  
"Well, Scythe would know!" Dusty pointed out, strolling over and giving Scythe a playful nudge. "Hey big guy, is this the place you're gonna get infused with the POWAH??"  
Scythe responded not with a laugh, which was very much expected. Instead, he pointed way up high at one of the temple's highest turrets, not taking his eyes off of it. He began to grow restless, bobbing up and down on Malik's shoulders and making strange noises. His odd reaction to this building proved there had to be some significance...  
"Oh hey, check it out," Dusty said, observing a black 'X' mark on the tree right next to him. "Samus and Vicki must already be in here. Heck, they might even be inside already!"  
"Hey, yeeeah! C'mon, man! Less get our butts in dere, too!"  
"Cool. Me first!"

Dusty jumped down the cliff face into the silver-colored moat, then proceeded to wade through it around to the other side. Malik had some difficulty with his landing, but he managed to get both him and Scythe down safely. The three eventually made their way around to the temple entrance, and stopped outside.  
Malik slowly wheeled himself into a spot right beside the door. Curving his neck around the corner, he shouted inside, "HELLO?! ANYBODY IN HEAH?!"  
There was no response for several seconds.  
But when one finally came, they were relieved to hear it was Samus's voice. "_MALIK?!_"  
"YEEEAH!! ISS ME AND DUSTY AND SCYTHE!! WE'S FINALLY HEAH!!"  
"_GREAT, GREAT!! COME IN, AND BE CAREFUL!!_"  
"SHO' THANG!!"

Malik pushed himself away from the wall and got prepared to roll on in. "Ya comin' Dusty?"  
"In a minute!!" was the hasty reply.  
Malik chuckled and shook his head when he saw Dusty was taking a leak in the moat.  
Scythe, however, was still not acting very jovial. If anything, he was pressuring Dusty to zip up already and get his ass in the temple.  
A few seconds later, that's just what he did. The three strolled hesitantly into the darkness of the blessed shrine, happy to meet up with their lady friends once again. How happy the ladies were to see them, though, was something to question.

"So how's Scythe doing?" Samus asked as Malik rolled up to her.  
Malik curled his lip. "Well, uhh... He was doin' OK earlier, but he's been kinda trippin' evah since he saw dis place." As if in response to what Malik said, Scythe whimpered and fidgeted around on his back. Malik had to reach behind and grab him to try and calm him down.

Dusty approached the scene several seconds after Malik. When he saw Samus and Malik having a conversation, he decided to veer off the other way. However, he was so taken in by the temple's mystic scenery that he almost bumped right into Victoria. He managed to stop himself before he did, and found himself only two inches away from her. He looked down at her, and she looked up at him. Her expression was blank.  
"Hey Vicki..." was all he said, frowning bit.  
"Oh, umm... hey Dusty," she replied in a similar tone.  
Dusty then nodded, looked away, and turned to Samus and Malik.

Victoria watched him as he turned away. She was, to be frank, stunned. Dusty had just spoken to her... And yet, he'd barely said two words. He hadn't tried to hug her or put his arm around her. He hadn't even smiled...  
She wondered... did he at last, after all this time, realize that she just couldn't stand him the way he was? That it was best for them both if he just mellowed out?  
Granted, she was still upset with him for still having not apologized for the gash on her ankle...  
But even so, Victoria could feel her lips slowly curving up into a smile.

"Now hold up a minute... Wass this thang for agin?"  
"I already told you, Malik. We have to input the right code to prove we're the guardian, or something like that, so we can explore the rest of the temple."  
"And what've you got so far?"  
"Victoria and I managed to get the first two correct, we think, but were still stuck on the third."  
"Well wass the question?"

"What's your favorite color?"

When Dusty heard this, he let out a whoop and jumped in front of the statue, practically knocking Samus out of the way. "Ooh! I know my favorite color!"  
Samus groaned, afraid he might push a wrong button and get them all killed. "Dusty, move it! We need to talk about this!"  
"What's to talk about?? Just tell me, what does each of these buttons mean?"  
"That one's red, that one's green, and that on-"  
"Green?! w0000t!! That's it!"  
"No wait! Dusty, DON'T!!"

Too late. With a wild grin, Dusty punched the button with the symbol for 'Green' inwards.  
Everyone held their breath as a third distinct_ RRRUMBLE... _echoed throughout the temple. It was then the entire room began to shake and tremor, like an earthquake being let out of a box. Dust and dirt sprinkled from the ceiling, and the pillars looked as though they would give way under the movement. The entire place was going to collapse, of this there was no doubt.

But wait...! No, nothing was collapsing! Instead, to everyone's surprise, the serpent-eagle statue was beginning to split in half right down the middle! The two halves slowly and majestically began to spread apart, revealing a hidden door, through which orange light began to seep in.  
And when all had stopped, there lay the now open doorway, leading to rooms untouched by human hands since their construction.  
They had done it. They had passed the trials. They had proven that they were indeed the guardians...Of what, though?  
Well, it was surely something significant, of that they were certain.

Samus and Malik both looked at Dusty in disbelief. He smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Hey, what can I say? Green's my favorite color! I mean, c'mon, even Link wears green, and he's pretty much the most kickass guy in the universe. Yay for green!"  
Samus just slowly shook her head. "...You are the single dumbest man I've ever met. BUT, you're also really lucky, so I guess that has to count for something."  
Victoria had stepped over to be part of the conversation. "Yeah Dusty, maybe you're good for something after all!"  
Dusty looked over at her, and his wide, toothy grin slowly faded into little more than a modest, silent smirk. "Yeah, thanks..." was all he said.  
"No problem," she responded, appreciating his calm attitude towards her.

"Hey ever'body!" Malik suddenly shouted out. "Scythe's goin' kinda nuts up in heah!"  
They all looked up at Scythe, who was pointing zealously at the newly opened passage and making many high-pitched yelps. He bounced up and down on Malik's back, urging him and the rest to move forward.  
"Wow, Scythe really is acting strange in this place, isn't he?" Samus observed. "Well, he seems to know where he wants to go. Shall we?"

The four heroes and the ugly overgrown baby all stepped through the doorway, and found themselves in a sort of tower. It was a vertical rise leading all the way to a ceiling that was nearly impossible to make out in the darkness. With no other doors in sight, there was only one way to go - up.  
And just for clarification, Scythe was looking straight up and pointing.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding..." Victoria moaned.  
"He actually wants us to get all the way up there? But how?" Samus wondered.  
"I dun see any platforms o' nothin..." Malik pointed out. "I think we gots ta climb!"  
"Oh, come on!" Dusty exclaimed. "Scythe, buddy, you're breakin' my balls, man. You're breaking my balls..."

Figuring there was no other way, Samus was the first to grab one of the many vines and begin hoisting herself up the shaft. Feeling confident now that Samus was doing it, Victoria also began to look around for something she could use to climb up. Growing on the northern wall was an infestation of stringy moss that looked like a climbable net. Using this, she began to make her way up as well. Dusty saw a vine nearby that he thought he could use, too, but realized, what about Malik? How was HE supposed to climb up there? The guy didn't even have any legs! And he was in charge of Scythe, too. How would they get Scythe up there?  
"Hey Malik, what're you gonna do? Drive up the wall or something?" Dusty joked.  
Malik laughed, as did Scythe. "Naw man, dere ain't no way I can git up there. I mean, my arms is strong, but they ain't NEAR strong enough ta get me an' dis big guy all the way up to da top..."  
"Hmm..." Dusty stroked his hairy chin. "Well, umm... How about I take Scythe up with me, then? Him and I get along pretty good, for sure! We're like spaghetti and meatballs!"  
"Spaghetti and meatballs?" Malik asked, confused.  
"Or if you prefer, _ahem_, chicken and watermelon..."  
"Man, SHUT up."  
Dusty walked over and lifted Scythe off of Malik's back, and onto his own. He groaned, surprised by the Pirate's weight. "Jesus Christ! This little guy's been eating too much! Or not crapping enough, or something! Phew! He's even heavier than Samus's bosom..."  
_"What was that, Dusty??"  
_"Um, ahh, nothing Samus!!" Struggling beneath Scythe's girth, Dusty hobbled over to the vine, got a good grip, and pulled himself up as much as he could. Taking a few deep breaths, he clenched his teeth and got ready to pull upwards a bit more. However, just as he was about to, Malik called to him. "Yo Dusty!"  
Dusty turned his head to face him. "Hoo... What is it, buddy?"  
"Just sayin' thanks, brutha. As wild an' crazy as ya are, you can be a good man sometimes."  
Dusty just grinned as usual. "Thanks. I get that a lot!"  
"Sure you do," Malik said, grinning back.  
Dusty gave a quick nod and began to scale the vine once more. As he ascended, he heard one last message from Malik.  
"...Keep showin' yo good side, man. Samus and Victoria'll come around eventually. 'Specially Victoria!"

Samus aimed her Arm Cannon straight up and fired a Power Beam shot into the dark. She watched it fly higher and higher until it finally burst upon contact with the ceiling. She estimated it was about 150 feet high. Not that bad a climb, since her suit provided her with the strength she needed. But then, what about Malik? She'd been wondering about how he might be able to make his way up. And if he couldn't, what about Scythe? How would they get him up there?

"MALIK!!" she shouted.

"_SAMUS? DAT YOU?!_" she heard him call back.  
"Yeah! Are you gonna be able to get up here?!"  
"_Naw, Imma stay down heah and keep guard, I guess. Don't worry bout Scythe, though! Dusty's got 'im and is climbin' him up dere right now!_"  
"Oh, is that right?!"  
"_Better believe it!!_" Dusty's voice echoed in the darkness. "_Got Scythe right here on my back! Hey buddy, say hi to Samus!!_"  
Scythe let out a weird, high-pitched Pirate noise. Both he and Dusty laughed.  
"Oh, that's good!" Samus said. "But Malik, are you sure you'll be OK by yourself?!"  
"_Well, uhh... I dun see why not! Ain't nothin' down here ta be skeered of...!!_"  
"Well, you can never be too careful!! I'll slide down and stay with you!! Dusty, are you sure you can make it up to the top alright?!"  
"_No problemo, Samusemo!!_"  
"What?! ...Oh. Oh, alright!! And you, Victoria?!"  
No reply was heard from Victoria. Samus took it as a 'yes'.

Feeling assured, Samus let go of the vine she was clutching and fell to the bottom of the shaft. She landed on her feet, cracking the brittle ground beneath her. Once there, she equipped her Thermal Visor to see Malik more clearly in the dark.  
"Hey Samus!" he said with a smile. "I 'ppreciate your waitin' down heah wid me. I was kinda bummed I wasn't gonna get to join in the action, kna' mean?""Oh, there's not much action anyway," Samus said. "We're just climbing a gaggle of plants to some room way up there. There's no monsters or anything."  
"Ah, alright. Dat's chill. But hey, I didn't hear nothin' from Victoria. She alright?"  
"I'm right here!"

Samus and Malik both jumped when they heard Victoria's voice leap out of the darkness right next to them. Samus looked for a heat signature, and saw Victoria standing barely a foot in front of her face. "Victoria?? What are you doing down here? Why aren't you still climbing?"  
"Well..." she said rather sheepishly, "I heard you guys saying that you two were gonna stay down here, and Dusty was gonna go up with Scythe, so..."  
"So, what?" Samus asked.  
Victoria frowned. "...I didn't wanna go up there with Dusty by myself."

Samus was a tad disappointed in her at first, but was quick to understand. "Oh, that's OK, I guess. Can't really blame you."  
Both the girls did a sort of secret laugh. Malik just shook his head. "Aw ladies, ladies... Go easy on Dusty, will ya? He only aims ta please."  
"If that's true, he should just keep his mouth shut from now on..." Victoria muttered.  
"But he WAS keepin' his mouth shut, wasn't he? He was tryin' to take it easy wid you just so you wouldn't be annoyed anymo'. Didn't you notice??"  
"Oh, well... I guess that's true..." Victoria admitted. "But still, another reason I couldn't climb anymore is because my ankle couldn't take the pressure. No matter how cool he tries to act, it's not gonna heal my wound. And he STILL never apologized for it..."  
"Honey, I'm sure if you ast him to apologize, he'd do it in half a second."

Victoria opened her mouth to speak, but the sound of Samus readying her missiles interrupted. "Shhhh!!" Samus ordered. "Did you hear that?!"  
"Hear what?" Malik whispered loudly.  
"Something's in here with us..." Samus said. "Quick, follow me to the wall so we don't get surrounded!"  
"S-surrounded?" Victoria stuttered. "Samus, what's going on?"  
"Just come over here, and keep it down! Not one word...!"

* * *

Meanwhile, 150 feet up the vine-infested temple shaft, Dusty and Scythe continued their grueling climb.  
"Ogghhh... Aw, Scythe, buddy. I don't know how much higher I can go...!" Dusty huffed, exhausted.  
Scythe whimpered and patted Dusty on the shoulder. Dusty smiled. "Oh, you believe in me, huh? You believe I can pull through and save the day? Well, normally I'm against all that movie melodrama crap, but coming from a miracle worker like you, I'll let it slide. After all, no matter how dark the cave, there's always a streetlamp or two to light it up! Or, something like that..."

He reached up to grab a higher part of the vine, but instead felt the stone ceiling. Dusty's eyes widened in awe. He'd done it? He'd done it! He'd reached the ceiling! w00t! Party time!!

Sweeping around the perimeter, Dusty caught sight of a sort of carved stone platform almost directly behind him. Tightening his abs, he raised one of his legs and rested it on the platform. He then placed his other leg on, and with a swift, muscle-tearing motion, hoisted himself up and threw himself backwards onto it. His landing was quite rough - so rough, in fact, that Scythe was thrown off his back and into a somersault. This made him laugh again.

Dusty scrambled to his feet and lifted Scythe up onto his back. On this platform was an opening leading to a long hallway. At the end of this hallway was a room that glowed with bright orange light. Windows, perhaps? His best guess. Scythe pointed feverishly down the hallway and made many funny noises.  
"Ah, so THAT'S where you wanna go, eh? Fine, just try to keep from getting to excited, alright? I don't want you pissin' all over my back. I ain't no toilet, even if I am full of shit sometimes... 'sides, Vicki should be making her way up soon."  
He turned and looked down the shaft, and shouted, "HEY VICKI! YOU ALMOST UP HERE?!"  
He heard no response. He couldn't even see her climbing up.  
"Hmm..." he thought aloud. "Maybe she's just taking her time. Either way, let's go get you blessed, huh? Boy, won't SHE be impressed when I tell her!"  
Scythe giggled and nodded.  
"Cool. Right then, let's go, little man!"

Dusty trod down the hallway, drawing ever closer to the room of shining orange light. As he came closer, the features of the room came into clearer view. Two in particular truly stood out. The first was a grand, jewel-studded pedestal right in the middle. There was also a large antique treasure chest sitting idly in the back, equally as impressive as the pedestal. The two seemed to be competing for his attention. The whole scene was being observed by tall, sentient bird-like statues, and basked in the sunlight coming from the three enormous windows, plus a round one in the center of the ceiling. The room was ancient, to be sure, yet still pulsed with such significance. As much as when it had first been constructed, no doubt.  
Dusty walked carefully into the room, afraid not to be discourteous to whomever may be watching. Who might be watching him, he wasn't sure. The bird statues? What did Samus call them, the Chorizo? No, that's a kind of sausage. Hmm...  
Scythe was especially unnerved by this room. He was hopping up and down so hard on Dusty's back that, at first, Dusty got the wrong idea.

"Well, this must be the place," Dusty sighed, scratching his chin. "Now what do we do?" He peeked over his shoulder at Scythe's grotesque Space Pirate face. "Whaddya think, buddy? The pedestal or the treasure chest?"  
Scythe cooed and bounced excitedly.  
"What? Really?? Aww, but I wanna check out the treasure chest..."  
Scythe grimaced and snorted.  
Dusty just shrugged. "Well, alright. You're the expert!"  
With that, he walked casually into the giant room and began to scale the steps up to the pedestal...

* * *

"Malik, Victoria, get out your pistols."  
"Samus, what's happening? I can't see anything..."

"Just be quiet. Listen..."

Samus, Malik, and Victoria were all huddled up against one of the rough stone walls of the vertical shaft. Although there was complete silence in the darkness for the most part, every few seconds they would hear the sound of a leaf rustling or a twig being stepped on. Malik and Victoria thought little of it, but Samus seemed convinced that it was something very serious.  
"A'ight Samus, got mah pistol. What should we do?"  
"Just wait... When the time comes, you'll know when to fire..."  
Samus re-equipped her Thermal Visor to look around in the dark. Everything appeared red through the visor, since the interior of the temple was quite warm. She was looking for any sign of movement. Keeping a close eye out, she readied her Missile Launcher...  
Then suddenly, out of the corner of her vision, a heat signature on the wall scurried sideways.  
A Space Pirate.

Without a second thought, Samus blasted a Super Missile directly at it. The target was obliterated, but not soon after did all three heroes hear the shuffling of claws and the grunts of surrounding soldiers scurrying towards them in the dark. Victoria practically screamed and was shooting off pistol shots at nothing, hoping to make a hit. Malik was so stunned he couldn't even squeeze the trigger. Samus understood right away the position they were in. She bravely lowered her Arm Cannon, and simply waited.  
Several bright lights flashed on. Legions of Space Pirates stood in a semicircle around the trio, and had them cornered against the wall. From the center of the crowd walked a vaguely familiar face...  
"Unit 1013," Samus said with dignity.

Unit 1013 bowed slightly. "Samus Aran. I really am impressed that you managed to break through the defenses of our ship so quickly. Not only did you hijack an escape pod and make off with it, but you also got a hold of our latest data regarding The Seed. All I can say is, well done!"  
"Thanks..." Samus muttered. "Now before we continue talking, I want to ask - do you go by any other title besides 'Unit 1013'? It's becoming a real pain in the ass saying that over and over. I'm sure your comrades agree. Am I not right, guys?"  
All the Space Pirates nodded and mumbled. Unit 1013 chuckled.  
"Oh, so you suspect to see more of me in the future, is that right?" he asked. "Well, I suppose it's the least I can do..." He spread his devilish bug-like jaws into a wicked grin. "You may call me 'Reaper'."  
"...Reaper?" Samus said with a scoff.  
"Yes. It's a relevant name, I think, considering our friend 'Scythe' will ultimately become my tool for establishing our dominion."

Reaper cracked his twisted fingers. "Speaking of Scythe, he's the very reason we tracked you down. Now tell me, where is he?"  
"Scythe? Oh, you just missed him," Samus replied. "He just went off to buy us all some Starbucks coffee. He told us to tell you to drop him a line just in case you arrived, though. But yeah, he's not here. Sorry."  
Reaper clenched his fists. "Foolish woman! You're starting to sound like that one stupid guy that you were traveling with before..."  
"Who, Dusty? Oh, believe me. Anything he might have said would have been a hundred times dumber."  
"Indeed... But enough games! Tell me where Scythe is this moment, or we'll have to force the knowledge out of you."

"How so?"  
"Well, we could snatch the little pretty one over there and have her suffer some more good old-fashioned Metroid Torture."  
Many of the Pirates laughed amongst themselves. Victoria's face turned as white as a bedsheet. Just recalling those horrible memories made her feel sick to her stomach.  
"And to even things out, maybe we could capture Mr Big Wheels over here and chop off both of his arms. Then we make him watch as we feed them to Kraid!"  
The Pirates were now in an uproar now. Malik said nothing, gripping his pistol tightly and wanting to shoot, but knowing it was better to control himself.

"You simple-minded cowards," Samus mused, "These two don't have anything to do with this. Skip the torture threats and just fight me for the information. Leave them out of this."  
Reaper was shocked to hear this. "Oh, is that what you want? Hmm... You know, for someone who seems to prefer working alone, I'm surprised at your compassion for these teammates of yours. Knowing you, I'd think you'd shun them for only getting in your way..."  
Samus winced, as though a needle had poked her in the chest. "...Cut the bullcrap. You know I'm not going to tell you where Scythe is!"  
"Oh, you're not?" Reaper asked. "It would be in your best interest, Samus. And not just yours, but also that of your, shall we say, 'friends'. If a fight is what you want, they'll be a part of it whether you want them to be or not. So it all depends - do you think these two would be able to survive our assault? We all know YOU could, for certain, but is it really all about you? Think about it... but be quick! We crave the power that you stole from us!!"

Samus looked from the stern Malik, to the frightened Victoria, and to impatient Reaper. She felt more nervous than usual, a band of sweat forming on her forehead. This all had to be a result of her fear that her teammates might not make it out of this alive, for she knew she would get in serious trouble with the Federation if they were harmed in any way...  
Ugh, having to protect these two while trying to get the job done was maddening! For a second, she almost thought it would be better if they DID just die...  
No! No, she knew better than that.

But still, what was she to do...?

* * *

Dusty stood over the glorious golden pedestal in the center of the altar. It appeared more like a sacrificial scaffold than anything else, but it was quite a sight! He needed to take a moment to admire its beauty. The polished gold surface, the precious stones... Man, if Jesus could have chosen where he wanted to be killed, it would be here, no question! Ah, but that was a rather vulgar thought. He scolded himself for offending the Lord with his thoughts, and then quickly got back to business.

Scythe was going absolutely nuts, trying to push himself off of Dusty's back so he could crawl onto the pedestal himself.  
"Whoa, whoa! Easy there, my man!" Dusty laughed, turning around and easing Scythe off of his back and onto the pedestal. "I told you before, I don't want your excitement forcing too much juice out of ya!" With Scythe now where he evidently wanted to be, Dusty walked down the altar steps, eager to get a look at what was inside that treasure chest in the back of the room. Scythe was giggling and laughing uncontrollably, but seemingly not at anything Dusty was doing. No, Scythe was looking straight up at a circular window in the ceiling, apparently expecting something to whoosh through and fall on him. Dusty was clueless, but intrigued. However, he couldn't help but worry about how Samus and Malik were doing down there all alone. And Victoria? She'd never made her way to the top of the shaft. She really should have by now... Where could she be? He hoped she wasn't hurt...

His attention was suddenly snagged by a strange aura of light that slowly began to seep in through the ceiling window. It fell slowly a majestically, like a waterfall in slow motion, and washed itself over Scythe's body.

Not only that, but a strange sound had also begun to fill the air...  
The sound of tens of hundreds of skittering insect legs.  
Moving faster, and faster...  
And drawing closer.

The sound of tens of hundreds of insect legs clacking along the stone walls sounded like a rushing river of beads. Dusty knew something terrible was headed his way, but he couldn't just run out of there. Scythe was still atop the pedestal, being bathed in that milky, heavenly white light and looking awfully pleased about it. And there was that treasure chest, too, which he was simply too curious about to let go.  
But the awful, awful sound of the swarm closing in on his position grew louder and louder without cease...  
He was going to have to be fast!

In a huff, Dusty bolted forth up the stairs towards Scythe's altar. He lost control of his legs quickly and fell hard on the stairs, hitting his teeth on a step. He quickly recovered and ran the rest of the way up to the pedestal. Scythe was still staring dreamily up through the round window where the beautiful aura seeped in. Apologizing for having to interrupt something so divine, Dusty reached at Scythe with both hands in attempt to grab him. Just as his hands were an inch away, though, a powerful jolt zapped his hands right back, almost forcing his whole body backwards down the steps.  
Amazing. This light was also acting as a barrier for Scythe while it did... whatever else it was doing! Dusty hoped this force field would help protect Scythe from the approaching danger as well. The rest of the room had already begun to grow slightly darker, as though the swarm's massive shadow was beginning to drown the light of the room...

Leaving Scythe in the hands of fate, Dusty hopped not to gracefully from the pedestal and landed directly in front of the treasure chest. It was wooden and trimmed in gold, and best yet, it lacked a lock! Dusty quickly leapt forward, grabbed the edges of the lid, and threw it open.  
Two spoils were inside. One looked to be a primitive white piece of computer software, and didn't look valuable. The other was much nicer - it was a piece of jewelry. What it was and what part of the body it attached to, Dusty didn't know, but he did know that it was adorned with a circle of small diamonds surrounding a huge, flawless pink pearl. What a prize! But what was he to do with these things?

A loud hissing sound from above made Dusty stop and look up. When he did, his eyes went wide and he shrieked in fear. From the room's three windows, scores and scores of large black insects began to pour in like a flood. They were vicious-looking, each with six red eyes, six sharp legs, and jaws as big as weed cutters; each one must have been the size of a bowling ball at least. There must have been more than one hundred...  
And they were all zeroing in on him!

Dusty instinctively reached for his pistol, but thought it might not be the best idea. In a panic, he consulted his fight-or-flight thought process to figure out what to do. This is what it told him.  
"RUN, YOU STUPID BASTARD! RUN LIKE THERE'S A PIECE OF CAKE HANGING IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE! RUUUNNN!!"  
Dusty nodded, whipped around, grabbed the computer thing and the jewelry thing, whipped around again, and sprinted towards the door. He had to circle his way around the pedestal, which veered him right into the path of the approaching devil bugs. As he ran, the bugs leading their respective packs hacked at his metal boots. He took high, light steps to avoid their attacks, and even ended up squishing one's head under his foot, killing it. Dusty regretted not being able to go back for Scythe, but the light that hovered over him still seemed to be protecting him from all outside forces. He would be safe, Dusty was sure. But what about Dusty himself?!

Once around the pedestal, Dusty zoomed towards the opening leading to the hallway. A few of the bugs were quite smart and had positioned themselves right above the doorway. "Oh shit...!" Dusty muttered as he ran through, for as suspected, they dropped down on him at that moment! Dusty ran like a lunatic down the hall while the bugs bit furiously at his helmet. Thank God for his helmet!

However, they had another form of attack he didn't know, and it was much deadlier. One bug had crawled its way down to Dusty's knees and was beginning to spin a web around and around them. Dusty felt not only his running being hindered, but a sharp, burning pain in his knees, too. Looking down, he was stunned to realize - the webbing was highly acidic! It was already starting to burn away the rubber knees joints of his suit! With a grunt, Dusty reached down and punched the pest off of his legs. He slipped up in the process and ended up doing a 180. His eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets when he saw the entire army of lethal insects filling the entire hallway, and sweeping right towards him! Taking a very quick few seconds to swat off the bugs already crawling around on his body, Dusty promptly flipped around and was off running again. What was he going to do about these things?! He couldn't sit and talk with them all over a cup of tea. He had to fight back, somehow...

Dusty soon found himself back in the vine-riddled shaft, the 150 foot drop right below his feet. Without a second thought, he did all he could do - he sprung off the ledge and soared over the pit. He thrashed his hands about, hoping to snatch a vine that could save him from plummeting to the bottom. He must have fallen a good twenty feet or so before he managed to grab one. He hung there for a moment and let out a heavy sigh of relief.  
That relief wasn't to last, though. The bug army exited the hallway into the shaft, and were now beginning to swarm around the walls. Several had already reached the ceiling and were trying to get to the spot where Dusty's vine met the ceiling. They meant to climb down the vine and attack him while he hung there! The intelligence of these bugs! Who ever heard of smart bugs? Dusty would probably be fascinated if he weren't so terrified and pissed off at the same time.

"Alright, that's IT!!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. Keeping one hand gripped around the vine, Dusty used his other to whip out his pistol. "You vermin from hell! Meet your exterminator, mutha fuckas!!"  
With that, he aimed straight up and started blasting like crazy at the insects attempting to climb down his vine. With each shot, he knocked loose four or five of them, causing them to drop squealing into the darkness of the pit. Dusty laughed and laughed with each shot he took, partly out of satisfaction, and partly because he could just feeling himself going nuts.

He did notice something odd, though. There seemed to be some moving light sources at the bottom of the shaft that he hadn't noticed before. Samus and Malik were supposed to be down there, so it could have been something caused by them. And Victoria, she was still nowhere that he knew. Not so deep down, he worried heavily about her. Where could she have gone?  
At that very moment in his life, it didn't matter. All emotions and worries for others were overtaken by his own survival instincts. As such, he continued to fire and fire at the ever-approaching bugs, causing heaps and mounds to fall down the pit, unaware and uncaring of just what might be down there...

* * *

"Well Samus?" Reaper asked gruffly, "Are you going to tell me where The Seed is or am I going to have to rip the words out of your throat?!"

Samus had her Arm Cannon aimed directly at Reaper's forehead, Power Beam loaded, and certainly ready to fire if she had to. She looked back and forth between Malik and Victoria, eyeing their faces and trying to get their opinion.  
Malik seemed to be ready to fight, though he would have understood if Samus decided not to. He was willing to go either way.  
Victoria, on the other hand, was shivering like she was in the cold. Even through her Hunter suit, it was easy to tell she was scared out of her mind. Fighting was the last thing she wanted to do.  
"We're growing tired of waiting, Samus! I'm giving you five seconds!"

"Samus...!" Victoria whispered loudly. "What are we gonna do??"  
"FIVE!" Reaper announced in a cryptic tone. Samus appeared as though she was about to make up her mind. She stood in a fighter stance. "Victoria," she said, "There comes a time when a Hunter has to hone their battle skills..."  
"FOUR!"  
"W-what do you mean?" Victoria asked, getting a very bad feeling.  
"THREE!"  
"This is your time, Victoria."  
"TWO!"  
Victoria gasped. "No, Samus! Please...!"  
"ONE!"  
"You want The Seed?" Samus asked, interrupting Reaper's countdown, "Then fight us for it!"

"Hmph," Reaper scoffed. "Typical Samus Aran. Always content with resolving problems through violence..."  
"What are you, a preacher all of a sudden?" Samus asked.  
"Hell no! You heard her, men! ATTACK!!"  
At that moment, the wave of Pirate Troopers unsheathed their weapons, let out cries of rage, and began to advance on the three lone warriors. Samus was more than ready for the onslaught, already charging up a Super Missile to fire into the crowd. Malik was scared, to be sure, but he was willing to risk it all for the sake of Dusty and Scythe. Victoria's heart sped up so quickly she almost fainted. The ensuing battle was going to be bloody, that was for sure...

But then, something unexpected happened.  
A blood-curling scream of fright and agony erupted from within the crowd of rushing Pirates. Every single one of them stopped, and turned towards the source of the wail. It turned out to be none other than Reaper himself.  
A humongous black insect the size of a watermelon was seen crawling around on his head and shoulders! "AAAGGGHHHHH!!" he cried over and over as it gave sharp bites to the tissue in his head. All the other Pirates backed up, not sure what to do. Their supposed leader was in trouble, but they couldn't just shoot the bug off of him, with fear that they might accidentally shoot Reaper himself in the head. Where had this demon bug come from??

That question was soon answered when a flock of perhaps five of them came falling from the dark shaft above, right into the Space Pirate army! Immediately, several of the Pirates were beginning to fall victim to the creatures. And with every passing second after that, more and more vicious insects began to rain down the shaft, landing on their prey and chewing mercilessly at their flesh. The battle that was meant to take place never happened, for the entire room was suddenly in an uproar. Samus, Malik, Victoria, and all the Pirates were now waged in an every-man-for-himself war against this dreadful rain of deadly bugs. All over, gun shots and bombs blasted to and fro, and screams and shouts could be heard of the suffering souls, whether they were having their skin and organs penetrated by the iron-tough jaws or being scalded by the acidic webs that were being spun and spread around the room faster than the speed of sound.

"Samus, where are ya!?"

"Over here, Malik! Whoa, there's one coming behind you!"  
"What the-?! Aaaaagh!" Malik fired his pistol at the bug's head, causing an explosion of orange guts. "Samus, what da hell are these things?! Where dey comin' from?!"  
"Up there, it looks like! If only I could... UGH, GET OFF!!" she screamed, swiping one of them off with her Arm Cannon that was trying to crawl up her leg. "I need to see what's up there!"  
"But wait, Samus! Where'd Victoria go?!"  
"Wasn't she just right her-?! Oh NO! Victoria!!"  
The two proceeded to beat their way through the crowd of frantic Pirates and slithering beasts in attempt to locate their comrade in the insanity.

Reaper had skewered at least a dozen of the lethal pests on his curved blade, and had shot at least two dozen more. Droves and droves of them still fell from above, however, and showed no signs of stopping. He had deep puncture wounds in his head as a result of the assault by the first offender, but he was able to stay conscious. All around him, he could hear the cries of his soldiers.  
"Head's up!!"  
"AAAACK!! IT BURNS!"  
"Get this one off my back! For the love of MJ!!"  
"There's too damn many!!"  
"HELP ME!! NOOO!!"  
Despite the carnage happening in every possible direction, Reaper's main goal was finding Samus in the fray. He wasn't about to let a swarm of little insects get in the way of his obtaining The Seed. She was going to give him the information he needed freely or have it tortured out of her. That was a promise...

Victoria flattened herself against the stone wall, shaking and quivering so badly she couldn't even hold her pistol straight. Even along the edge of the battlefield, there was no safety for her. A Pirate ran right in front of her, screeching, at least six of the little devils chewing at his abdomen and wrapping him up in painful webs. Another eight steps and he was flat on the ground, motionless.  
Growing more and more frightened at an exponential rate, the fear began to overwhelm her. She began to have trouble breathing. To allow herself some air, she pulled off her helmet. Not long after, she turned around and began to run alongside the perimeter of the room, hoping to avoid as much of the action as she possibly could. However, she was in such a fit of panic and despair that she didn't notice the web right in front of her until she had practically run headlong into it. She tried to stop herself, but not before her left cheek and a large portion of her hair touched a thick strand of greenish webbing.

Almost right away, the smell of burning hair and flesh filled her nostrils. Screaming for perhaps the thousandth time in the last five minutes, she pulled back to try and free herself. The strands were stuck fast, and pulling back caused her to start feeling the skin being ripped off her face. The pain shot through her body, and tears erupted from her eyes. She clawed and clawed at the web with her hands, only to have her fingers get tangled in the burning, corrosive goo as well. Her situation was desperate enough already, but many of the beastly bugs on the walls had realized they'd caught something in their trap and were now heading down to collect their prey...

"VICTORIA!!" came a familiar shout from the air of battle sounds.

Victoria knew right away that it was Samus. She was so happy to hear her voice, but she couldn't respond. The skin on her cheek and fingers was melting away fast.  
Not a second later, Victoria felt a pair of strong hands grab her by the shoulders. "Grit yo' teeth, Victoria!!" she heard Malik order. Knowing what was coming, she did just as he said. Malik threw his wheels in reverse and held onto her tight. With a sickening _SSSHRIP!!_, her hair, cheek, and fingers were all painfully pulled free.  
The next moment, Samus was at the scene, blasting the group of hungry bugs that had been crawling down the web to devour Victoria. Once she did, she turned to her two comrades. "You both alright?!"  
"Still alive!" Malik announced.  
Victoria merely nodded, though she was clearly in severe pain. Her fingers and cheek were bloody to the core.  
Samus stuck close to them. "They're still all over the place! I have to see where they're coming from! Malik, keep watch and shoot anything that comes near us!"  
Malik obeyed and readied his pistol, though at the same time kept an eye on Victoria to make sure she was still alright.

Samus flipped on her Thermal Visor and looked straight up. As suspected, she saw leagues of the ferocious bugs swarming the ceiling. However, there appeared to be a force that was causing them to actually fall down to their level. It looked to be repeated explosions, probably caused by a gun. Looking down a ways, she spotted a strange heat signature. Something... No, someone... was hanging on a vine, firing at the bugs and moving around an awful lot.  
She then knew right away. Her face grew tense with anger.  
"_Dusty...!_"

Samus knew she had to stop Dusty right away. His constant firing at the swarm of insects on the ceiling was causing them all to rain on them all like black hailstones. Nearly half the Pirates had already been savagely ripped apart. It was only a matter of time before she and her teammates were next.  
"DUSTY!!" Samus shouted as loud as she could.  
However, Dusty was so high up he didn't hear her. He went on shooting like a maniac.  
Meanwhile, she heard Malik firing repeatedly, trying to keep the wave of advancing bugs at bay. He was clearly having trouble.  
Samus reached up and activated her helmet cell phone . With a shaky hand, she scrolled down to Dusty's number and hit Send, praying that he would answer, yet fully expecting him not to...

_"Yello?" _came the casual reply.  
Samus was shocked. "Dusty?!"  
_"Samus? You called me! Why do you sound so surprised, huh?"_  
"You actually picked up??"  
_"Well yeah! I always answer meh phone! Why, what's the matter?"  
_"Uh, but, but you're being attacked by these bugs!"  
_"Sure am! Speakin' of which, hold on a sec."_  
Samus heard a few shots being fired, both through the speaker and from way up above.  
_"...Sorry 'bout that. Anyway, whaddya need?"_  
"That's what I needed to talk to you about! You need to stop shooting those spider-things off the ceiling!"  
_"What?! But I can't! They'll climb down the vine and get me! I'm in a really tight spot here_!" "Well so are we! We're at the bottom of the shaft, right below you! Remember??"  
_"Well yeah, I... Wait. Oh... Oh! Oh my God! You guys alright down there?!"  
_"So far, but not for much longer, I don't think!"  
_"What's all that screamin' I hear?"  
_"The Pirates! They followed us here! The spiders are slaughtering them!"  
_"Really? Aw, yeah! Guess that means I'm kinda helping, eh?"_  
Another brief pause. Samus heard more firing over the line.  
"No! You need to stop shooting those things!"_  
"But... but Samus, I..."  
_"Just don't anymore!!"  
_"But these things'll molest and murder me!"  
_"No one lives forever, Dusty! A great Bounty Hunter knows that some must live and some must die!"  
_"Who said I'm a great Bounty Hunter?!"  
_"URRGH!! Dusty, please! Victoria's already gotten hurt, and we can't risk any worse!"  
That statement seemed to strike a silent chord With Dusty. _"What? V-Vicki's hurt?"  
_"Yes!"  
_"How bad?"_  
"Really bad! Now stop shooting before you get her killed!"

Silence on the other line...  
And at last, the sound of Dusty hanging up.  
Samus wasn't sure what that meant, but he guessed he'd gotten the courage to cease firing and do what was right.

Malik was still struggling to keep all the advancing bugs at a safe distance. Victoria stayed behind him, unable to do much else besides shiver in pain and disgust at her blood-drenched fingers and cheek. However, when she saw Samus hang up the phone, she had to ask, "Was that Dusty?"  
"Yeah!" Samus replied, running over to help Malik.  
"What did he say?"  
"He was the one making the bugs fall. I told him to stop, and I think he's done it!"  
"What's gonna happen to him...?!"  
Samus didn't answer. She merely looked up into the darkness of the shaft. No spider beasts appeared to be falling anymore. She could only imagine Dusty's situation at that moment in time. She wanted to see, yet she didn't want to at the same time. She refrained from looking through her Thermal Visor and merely believed he'd done his duty...  
"SAMUS!!"

Samus heard a loud, hoarse voice sound to her left. She turned towards the source, only to be met by an explosive force to the stomach. With a bright orange flash and a _BOOM!, _she was thrown backwards and knocked her down on her back. She recovered quickly, but before she could stand up, something heavy came down on her chest, pinning her down. The next thing she knew, her arms were bound and tied down by thick vines, preventing her from standing up. Looming over her menacingly was none other than Reaper, holding a Grenade Launcher.  
"You...!" Samus grunted.  
"Yes, me," he replied. "I knew you'd let your guard down if you worried about the safety of your friends! Precisely why I don't have any!"  
"Really? I'd think it's because you're a jackass and smell like an armpit."  
"Be as cocky as you want! I'm going to enjoy watching these little devils feed on you! Ah, look! Here comes a batch now!"  
Samus looked over, and saw a gaggle of nearly ten bugs skittering over, and fast. Being as intelligent as they were, they could see this tied down specimen was an easy target.

"Samus, I won't let 'im do nothin' to ya!" Malik called, hoping to zoom over there. Reaper aimed his Grenade Launcher straight at Malik's helmet. "Roll another inch and you die! Drop your pistol!"  
Malik stopped in his tracks and gulped heavily. There was no way he was dropping his weapon, but he didn't want to endanger Samus any more. He looked at Victoria, who was tearing up at the eyes. She seemed to be urging Malik to wheel over and do something himself. He couldn't be sure what, though, and time was running terribly short. Word had evidently spread among the killer insects that there was a bound-down, free and easy meal on the ground, for practically every single one was beginning to close in around them...

Knowing he had precious seconds to act, Malik made a risky move. Reaper had ordered him to drop his pistol or die. Malik chose neither. With a blindingly fast flick of the wrist, Malik aimed his gun at Reaper and fired two shots. One hit him in the wrist, causing him to drop his grenade launcher. The other struck him square in the chest. He roared in pain and stumbled backwards, sure to be down for just long enough.

Malik seized the opportunity to zoom over and free Samus from her situation. He withdrew his pocket knife and began to cut through the tough vine around Samus's left wrist. However, the sound of the waves of hungry spider beasts racing forth made him realize that he just was not going to have enough time. He had barely cut halfway through the first vine when the first line of beasts was already but a yard away.  
"Malik!" Samus shouted. "Free my right arm first! My Arm Cannon!"  
"You sho'?""Yes! Just free my right arm! Now!"  
"But Samus, the bugs-!"

Suddenly, a _BANG! _made both Malik and Samus turn their heads. They were shocked to see Victoria holding her own pistol, aiming at the massive black swarm, a look of determination, anger, and courage on her face. Having blown one of the spider's heads clear off with her first shot, she began to fire more and more and more. Each squeeze of the trigger was agony to her raw, pulpy fingers, and her eye twitched in response every time. However, while she couldn't hold them off forever, she was definitely slowing the hellish army down.

"YEAH! Victoria, thass my GIRL!" Malik excitedly shouted as he wheeled around to Samus's right side. Right away, he snatched the vine and furiously started to saw through it.  
Samus watched his and Victoria's progress at the same time. For someone who could always fight her way out of any situation, she was surprised by how amazing a feeling it was to start regaining hope after having lost it. When Malik had about one centimeter left to cut, she stopped him. "Alright Malik, that's enough!"  
"What? Whaddja sa-?"  
"I can get out! Stand back!"  
Malik obeyed, rolling back a foot or so. Samus lifted her arm and pulled hard on the vine. Thanks to the deep cut, she was able to snap it right in half, freeing her right arm. She planned to aim at the vine around her left hand to liberate it, too.  
However, Reaper had now recovered, and was filled to the brim with a newfound vengeance. He rushed straight at Malik and shoved him hard in the ribs. "Ooof!" Malik gasped as he fell backwards on his wheels. This was his true weakness - like a helpless turtle on his shell, Malik had great difficultly standing up if he fell on his back. He would be the next easy meal for the spiders, unless Victoria could continue holding them off.

Samus attempted to aim and fire at Reaper, but he had wizened up to her tactics. He grabbed her wrist with both hands and forcefully twisted the mouth of the gun against her will - so it aimed right at her own face. Reaper smiled with glee and chuckled.  
"Tell me!" me yelled, "THE SEED!! WHERE IS IT, YOU WITCH!?"  
Samus only sneered at him. "Up yours!"  
Knowing full well that she wouldn't comply, Reaper just frowned. "Wrong answer!!"

Before Samus could have any idea of what Reaper was going to do, a wailing sound from way high up could he heard trailing down. Quietly at first, but as the seconds passed, it echoed louder and more crazed. It was an animal cry, like that an ape would make. An angry, bloodthirsy ape. Or perhaps a retarded one.  
Turns out the latter was correct enough. Dusty came swinging down on a vine and screaming at the top of his breath, Tarzan-style. Just as Reaper looked up, he was greeted by Dusty's heavy boots knocking him square in the forehead. Once again, Reaper was down for the count. Once again, though, he would be back up, so Samus and company needed to act fast.

Samus at last managed to shoot through the vine around her left wrist and quickly hopped to her feet. Dusty had leapt from his vine and was on his feet now, too. Both ran over to help Malik get up off his back.  
"Aw, thank you thank you!" Malik said, very out-of-breath.  
"Dusty, what happened to Scythe?" Samus asked right away."He's up there!" Dusty pointed up. "Getting blessed, I'm pretty sure! Should be done pretty soon!"  
"Hey, wait a minute! Why'd you come down here anyway?"  
"Well, you told me to stop shooting the bugs! Cuz you said how some have to live and some have to die. I thought it was real nice how you were willing to die in order to let me live, but anyway, I stopped shooting. But then, the bugs REALLY started getting close. So, uhh... I kinda climbed down, and now here I am! Oh, yeah! And I ape-swung into that Space Pirate dude. Nice, huh?"  
Samus's mouth dropped in awe. "You climbed DOWN?!"  
"Well yeah! That's what I said, isn't it?"

By now, every last Space Pirate that had been forced to enter this temple under the command of Reaper was now no more. All had been mutilated and were in the process of being devoured by the spider demons. Even the small percentage that Dusty blew off the ceiling had been too much for them. Had any of them still been alive, nothing would have prepared them for what was coming now...  
The brown stone walls of the shaft, and the dark green and yellow vines that grew sky high to the top, were now slowly being consumed by a veil of darkness. A veil that moved downward swiftly and majestically, blocking out any and all color, replacing it with only black.  
It was the full swarm, making its way down to the ground level, where Samus and her team waited below, fully suspecting, yet also fully aware that they did not stand a chance. Now that Dusty was down there, too, they felt the need to follow their prey, and were they ever going to get it...

Samus, Malik, and Dusty all began to back up, towards the wall. Even Victoria had stopped shooting, for she realized nothing could stand up to this new wave of skittering death. She joined the others along the wall, but even there it was not safe, for the little devils were descending down it from directly above.  
Reaper, too, had now stood up since his blow to the head, and taken note of what was happening. Screaming in awe at the sight of the descending swarm, he readied his grenade launcher and blasted repeated shots at it, in vain, order to hold them back.  
Nothing could.  
This would be their end. Of this, there was no contest.  
Their lives were over, and their mission, failed... "Samus, what're we gonna do??" Malik asked desperately asked.  
Samus kept her Arm Cannon raised, but knew it was futile to fire any shots. "I... I don't know..."

Victoria was too afraid to even breathe. She dropped to her knees and allowed the tears to trickle from her eyes. Dusty knelt down beside her and put a hand on her shoulder.  
"Well, hope to see you in Heaven, Vicki..." he said to her.  
"W-where?" she asked.  
"Someplace great," he replied softly. "Someplace great..."

Reaper had exhausted his efforts of using his Grenade Launcher to keep the bugs at bay. He ended up backing up right into Samus, who did nothing in response. He turned to her with a frantic face.  
"You!" he cried. "You can stop them! STOP THEM!!"  
Samus shook her head and lowered her Arm Cannon. "No, I'm sorry. Some must live, and some must die... That's how it is..."  
The bugs were closing in on the crowd. Two meters in every and all directions. Two more seconds to live, for all of them.  
Reaper wouldn't accept that. "Well dammit, I have to live! I wanna LIVE!" He dropped to his knees. "Somebody!! SAVE ME!!"

_"AZRIODIA!!"_

The sound of the infantile voice shouting the foreign word echoed off the temple walls and directly into the ears of all who stood at the bottom of the shaft. The voice reached the swarm of evil insects as well, for every single one of them ceased to move at the sound of the voice.  
The voice belonged to Scythe.

Looking up, they all could see him. He was floating majestically downward, riding a parachute of pure air and magic, his arms outstretched in a pious manner, looking straight upwards, through the ceiling and to the heavens. A mysterious and beautiful white glow shone from within his body.  
All was silent. The Hunters, Reaper, the dark insects... all quiet as the grave. The sound of breathing was all that could be heard echoing off the walls.  
That is, until Dusty shouted out. "YEEEAHH!! Scythe! THAT'S my little man! w00t! Oh man, did you guys hear that?! He said his first words! Azri... something... something diarrhea! Aw man, that's going in the scrapbook...!"  
All other eyes were on the army of bugs. Their eyes, which had before shone blood red, were now glowing white With unknown power.  
Samus wasn't sure what to make of this, but she kept her Arm Cannon down by her side. Deep down, she knew she would not need it. Whatever miracle was taking place, it had to be for the better. Malik and Victoria secretly agreed.

After an eternity, it seemed, Scythe at last broke his gaze from the heavens and slowly looked down to the group below. He looked at each Hunter, his grotesque, Space Pirate face unflinching. And yet, there was a sincere power in his gaze. It retained its innocence and youth, yet also struck them all as overbearing and omniscient. What had entered and matured within him during that brief period?

Scythe then focused his gaze upon Reaper. Reaper, who was quaking on his feet, pleaded for life.  
Scythe appeared to disapprove.  
With a wave of the hand, he pointed down to Reaper, and called out once more, "_AZRIODIA!!_"

The eyes of every dark insect in the room flashed brilliantly, and not a moment later, the roar of thousands upon thousands of skittering legs filled the air. Reaper didn't even have time to scream. The monstrous bugs piled on top of him, fought one another to have their share, and mercilessly ripped his life away. Samus and her team were utterly ignored by the insects. To them, they were mere obstacles to maneuver around so they could reach their true meal.

After nearly five minutes of nothing but carnage and killing, Scythe gave another wave of the hand, and pointed straight upward. The bugs obeyed immediately, formally retreating and flooding back up the walls of the shaft into the darkness from whence they came. All that was left now was the bodies. Namely, the body of Reaper.  
Victoria shuddered and turned her head away. Dusty kept a hand on her shoulder, but couldn't help but observe. Samus and Malik both looked at one another, then approached the corpse.

Of all the tortured bodies in the room, Reaper's was the most ravaged and pitiable. Chunks of flesh were bitten out from all over his body, from his skull to his chest to his thighs to his shins. Thick, green, acidic webbing lathered all over his body, like a cocoon, the corrosive residue leaking into his open bite wounds. Had he felt any pain before he died, surely it was the type of pain reserved for only the cruelest of evildoers. As far as any of them were concerned, Reaper more than deserved his fate.  
His job done, Scythe's white glow slowly faded as he descended all the way down to the earth. He landed on his behind, right in front of Reaper's corpse. He then pointed at it, looked up at Samus, and began to giggle.

Samus was so astonished she couldn't find the words to say.  
"Daaamn..." was all Malik muttered.  
Victoria couldn't say anything either, for she was still preoccupied with her own injuries and over the sight of Reaper's body, but she was amazed nonetheless.  
Dusty almost felt like bursting out in laughter. "Oh my God!! That was AWESOME!! I knew it, man. I knew it! Scythe, you are the COOLEST!!" He ran over and gave Scythe a high-five.

After letting herself recover from the shock, Samus put her hands on her hips. "So, wait a minute... Dusty, do you have any idea what's going on? What did you and Scythe do up there?"  
"Nothin' much," Dusty said. "We found this cool-looking shrine thingy, and there was this altar, and Scythe really wanted to sit on it, so I sat him on it. Yeah, that's what happened. And then, and then this weird light started shining in from the window on him, ya know? But then those freaky bugs started swarming in, so I got my ass outta there. And now, here we are!"  
"Is that right?" Samus said thoughtfully.  
"That's purty crazy!" Malik exclaimed. "So, uhh, if I didn't know better, I'd say Scythe got 'blessed', o sumthin', like he was supposed ta!"  
"Do you REALLY know better?" Dusty asked slyly.  
Malik scratched his head. "Uhhh... Naw, I reckon I don't..."  
"Exactly!" Dusty shouted. "Scythe got his blessing, and now he's got super-uber magical powers! And he totally mutilated Reaper! I say mission accomplished, guys!"

Samus nodded her head in approval. "You know what? I think you may actually be right for once, Dusty. I have to say, I'm very impressed! You did a pretty good job, considering... well, you know..."  
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I DO know," Dusty replied With a goofy grin. "But hey, now I can say that the great Samus Aran is impressed With me! Yeah!"  
"Don't count on it," Samus told him. "It was just this one job. Besides, for all I know, you might have just gotten lucky again."  
Dusty laughed. "Haha! Classic Samus, always joking!"  
"Uhh, I dunno Dusty. Samus don't never make jokes..."  
"Be quiet, Malik!"

Samus took one last look at Reaper's puncturing, sizzling corpse. "Well... I think our work here is done. We've still got another temple to locate somewhere in the universe and have 'The Seed' blessed at. Hopefully, With Reaper out of the picture, it'll be smooth sailing for us..."  
"Yeah, hopefully," Malik muttered.  
"So where to now, Oh Fearless Leader?" Dusty asked.  
"Let's head back to the Galactic Federation HQ. Let Mr Vapor know the progress we've made." She began to head out the temple's main entrance and out into the orange sunlight. "C'mon, let's go."  
"Uh, one sec, Samus," Dusty told her. "Lemme just get the man of the hour up onto my back an-"

Both Dusty and Malik were rather surprised to see Scythe kneeling over Reaper's gored corpse. He was waving his open palms over it in an odd manner. He seemed to be whispering some strange enchantments under his breath.  
He then suddenly brought his hands down upon Reaper's chest. For a brief moment, every open wound on Reaper's body flashed a bright, ruby red. And for that one second, it was as though the body once again sprung to life...

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Dusty laughed, pulling Scythe away from Reaper's remains and hoisting him up onto his back. "You don't wanna be playing with dead bodies, little buddy! Unless of course, you hang him from the ceiling and use him as a punching bag. Hey, ya know what? That sounds kinda cool! Hey Samus! Can we do that?!"  
"No!"  
"Hey, you didn't even hear what I sai-!"  
"NO!"  
"Oh, alright..."

As Samus, Dusty, and Scythe made their way out of the temple, Malik turned to Victoria. She was still on her knees, quivering, staring at Reaper's cadaver. When Malik rolled up to her, she looked up at him, her stunned face unchanged. She wanted to say something, but couldn't move her frozen lips.  
"You ready to get outta here?" he asked.  
"Y-yeah..." she replied hoarsely.  
Malik glanced at her burnt cheek and bleeding fingers. "Don't worry. I'll treat those wounds when we get back ta the ship, alrighty?"  
"Y-yeah..." she repeated.  
"Wanna ride on my back?"  
Victoria simply nodded. Malik lowered himself down and allowed her to climb on. Once she was on, he began to cruise easily on out of the temple after the others.  
"Ya know, you'se one spoiled girl!" Malik said With a laugh.  
Victoria just smiled slightly. "Thanks, Malik..."


	5. Part 4

Samus removed her helmet and brushed the blonde hair off her brow. She was feeling hungry, so she opened the refrigerator and looked around. She groaned, for there was only some bread and cheese. It would have to suffice, but she was going to have to go grocery shopping sometime soon. Sighing, she put a slice of cheese on some bread and took a bite. While she chewed, she glanced down at the mustard message Scythe had written on the floor when they first landed on Blobsoh VII...

_'NO MATTER HOW DARK THE NIGHT, MORNING ALWAYS COMES...'_

Every other drop of mustard had been wiped clean, save for that message, mainly because Dusty protested against it, claiming the message was a 'miracle' and shouldn't be tampered with. And, as much as Samus disliked seeing the yellow stains all over her ship's kitchen floor, she was secretly wary of cleaning it away, too. Indeed, there was a profound meaning to these words, even if she couldn't see it, or what its relevance was to her own life was...

She walked from the kitchen to the cockpit. There she saw Dusty at the controls, expertly maneuvering the craft off of the surface of Blobsoh VII. He turned to her and smiled.  
"Hey Samus!" he bragged. "Look how good I'm getting at this flying thing!"  
"Oh, yeah! I can see that!" Samus said, sarcasm in her tone. "Now let's see you try it without the autopilot on!"  
Dusty's smile turned into a grimace. "Umm... I-I see where you're coming from, and I know what this looks like, but I assure you it's 90 percent me!"  
"Just turn it off."  
"N-no thanks. I like it on. It flashes a cool color..."  
"Please Dusty, I didn't fall for it the first time, and I haven't magically become dumber over the past 24 hours."  
"Oh, alright. My bad. You see, I kinda thought JUST maybe you... Wait a minute. 24 hours? Did you just say that?"  
"Yes Dusty. You tried that on me 24 hours ago after we first infiltrated the Orpheon." She thought for a second and frowned. "Geez, how the heck do I remember that...?"

Dusty scratched his hairy chin. "24 hours... Let's see. We met you a day before that, and... yeah... mm-hmm... Whoa! I haven't slept or eaten anything in two whole days!"  
"That's how the cookie crumbles sometimes. When you're a Bounty Hunter, you sometimes have to rough it without food or sleep for up to a week. Maybe longer..."  
"Bull," Dusty scoffed. "How do you survive without food for a week? You eat cardboard?"  
"Sometimes. That, or you can just chew on something made of leather. It has enough to nutritional value to sustain life for a short time."  
Dusty raised an eyebrow. "Ya know something Samus? When it all comes down to it, you're even weirder than me!"  
Samus shrugged. "I never said you were weird. Just dumb."  
"And proud of it!" Dusty announced. "That's the whole reason why everyone reading the story says I need more love!"  
"Just get out of the way and let me drive my ship."  
"Yes, Your Majesty..."

Dusty gazed out the large windshield as they departed from Blobsoh VII. The pristine, gold-colored swamp slowly disappeared behind a veil of the orange-red tree canopy as they flew further and further away. It truly was a magnificent planet, virtually untouched by the influences of the common, industrious people. It seemed appropriate that a great being like The Seed would receive a blessing there. Perhaps the next planet they would visit would share Blobsoh VII's natural beauty? It was something to look forward to.

"Yo Samus, you gonna go grocery shopping one of these days?"  
Samus turned to him, annoyed. "...What?"  
"Hey, I'm just askin'!" Dusty replied, raising his arms. "Not that the bread and cheese cuisine you got isn't tempting, but... you know, got nothing else? Maybe some lunch meat, or those little Energy spheres you're always eating?"  
"...Tell you what - We'll all stop at a restaurant after talking to Mr Vapor, alright?"  
Dusty stopped and lit up. "Seriously? You'd do that for us?"  
"Well sure, why not? I'm hungry too, and you guys ARE my teammates..."  
"Sweeet! Let's just not make it fast food, OK? Cuz a few years back, I worked at the Schlocko Bell in Sector 4, and this lady came through the drive-thru, right? So I was like, 'Can I take your order?' And she was like, 'Yes! I'd like some pickles, and some pickles, and some more pickles... With a side of pickles! So I was like, 'WTF? What's a pickles?' So I got the dictionary, but it must've weighed like, a bazillion pounds, so when I dropped it on my foot, I screamed really loud and-"  
"Dusty, is there a point to this?!"  
"Umm... Yes. Thanks for agreeing to take us to a restaurant!"  
"...No problem. But we have business at hand first. Let's take care of it."

There was a little more silence between the two as Samus worked on getting them all out of Blobsoh VII's atmosphere. It wasn't long before Dusty spoke up again, though.  
"Oh hey, Samus..."

"Not to be rude, but if it's not about the mission, I don't want to hear it."  
"Oh, OK. Never mind... Oh hey, wait! It IS about the mission!"  
"It is?"  
"Yeah! Surprise, surprise, huh?"  
"Well, yes, actually. So what is it?"  
Dusty reached into his armor pocket and pulled out two objects - a white card-type object, and a piece of jewelry studded in diamonds and a large pink pearl. Samus was quite intrigued.  
"Oh wow... Where did you find these, Dusty?"  
"In that shrine place where Scythe got blessed! They're kinda funky, I know, but I think they may be important to the mission! Or even more important, we can sell 'em on Ebay for a bajillion dollars!"

Samus switched on the autopilot temporarily and took the treasures in her hands. She was particularly interested in the white card. It was composed of plastic and metal components. "Hmm... This looks like some sort of information storage disk. Unfortunately, it's, err... very primitive. It won't work on any computer I have onboard. Maybe Mr Vapor has some really ancient technology that can handle it..."  
"Cool, cool," Dusty said. "And what about THIS?!"  
Samus fingered the jewelry curiously. "Well, it looks genuine. Probably really valuable. I doubt it's important to our cause, though. Since you found it, I suppose you can keep it and do what you will." She handed it back.  
Dusty grinned and took it in his hand again. "Really? Thanks a bunch! Ya know, I was gonna be quiet about this, but, umm... I'm thinking of maybe... giving it to Vicki as a way of saying I'm sorry..."  
Samus's face didn't change. "Might be a good idea, considering your actions when the spider swarm attacked is what got her injured..."

That one statement really seemed to affect Dusty profoundly. A sword to the stomach. "H-hey, what do you mean by that?!" Samus flipped the autopilot off and took the controls once more. "You know what I mean. You shooting those bugs off the ceiling and making them rain down on us. If you hadn't done that, Victoria wouldn't have gotten hurt."  
"Oh, come ON Samus! Those things were gonna maul me senseless! If you were in my shoes, you'd have done the same thing! Don't EVEN tell me you wouldn't have!"  
"No, Dusty, I wouldn't have. And you know why? Because unlike you, I understand that some must live and some must die. For the sake of the greater good, sacrifices have to be made, even if its your own life. That's the Bounty Hunter code."  
"Samus, think for a second-"  
"Oh, you're telling ME to think?"  
"Just be quiet and let me finish! You really think those bugs were ONLY after me? That once they devoured me, they'd all say 'OK!' and just go back home to their couch and watch Seinfeld? No! They'd have kept swarming along until they found you guys! If anything, I was holding them back! Besides, what about the Pirates? My making the bugs fall on 'em really helped you out of a tight spot, I think!"  
"You don't understand what was happening, Dusty. Don't try and talk like you know."  
"But I DO know! Those Pirates were gonna kill you. What else would they have been there for?"  
"It doesn't matter. Victoria ended up seriously hurt because of your actions."  
Dusty's lips began to quiver. "I-I know that, alright? But you know what? I'm glad I did what I did, cuz if I hadn't, she wouldn't have just gotten some burns on her face and fingers. She'd be dead! You'd all be DEAD!!"

There was a long, heated silence in the cockpit. Samus stared at Dusty, and Dusty stared at Samus. Their gazes were mixtures of disbelief, frustration, and confusion, tapped with a trace of hate. Dusty himself almost looked about ready to cry.  
Samus shook her head and sighed. "Dusty, I didn't mean to upset anything, but... For God's sake, just try to understand..."  
"Don't say that name to me," Dusty muttered, turning around and heading for the berth room. "You don't know anything about Him. Don't even act like you do..."  
And with that, he was through the door and gone.

Samus was left standing alone, piloting the ship. The frustration still raged within her, thinking how ridiculous it was for Dusty to even pose an argument. And yet, she couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy. She could tell being a Bounty Hunter really wasn't the life for him. All he really cared about, it seemed, was having fun.  
And Victoria, of course. Come to think of it, she didn't really belong there, either...  
Hmm... maybe the two DID have a lot in common...

The Gunship was safely out of Blobsoh VII's atmosphere then. Samus reached for the 4D Splitter and set its coordinates for the GF Space Station. She switched it on, thus tearing open a hole in the space-time continuum in the area before the Gunship. Samus carefully piloted her way through, knowing her destination would be no more than mere moments away...

* * *

Malik dabbed some alcohol onto a cloth and prepared to apply it to the burn on Victoria's cheek. "I know how much ya hate dis stuff, but it'll only hurt fo' a sec."  
Victoria nodded and gritted her teeth. The alcohol on her wound made it feel like it was burning anew, like that awful web was once again stuck to her face. It lasted only a second, though, for Malik was quick to bandage it right up.  
"Now for yo fingers," Malik said thoughtfully. He examined her fingers closely, all fleshy and covered in dry blood. "Well, ya lost kinda lot o' skin, but there ain't nothin' to worry bout much."  
"Are they gonna need alcohol?" Victoria asked in a tone like a worried child.  
Malik looked at her and chuckled. "Sorry honey, I think we bof know da answer ta that!"  
Victoria was displeased to hear that, but Malik's joking nature made her feel better. "OK..."

Malik soaked the cloth with alcohol once again. For the next several minutes, he mended Victoria's fingers while talking to her to help her endure the pain easier.  
"Now I don't get it... I thought all dese Bounty Hunter suits came wid gloves an' a helmet. What happened to yo's out dere?"  
Victoria hid her face behind her veil of dark hair, almost ashamed. "Well, I, umm... When all those bugs started attacking and everyone was dying all around me, I just got so scared, and I was hyperventilating so bad that I had to take my helmet off. Stupid, I know..."  
"Aw, don't be so hard on yo'self. I know how dat feels. But what about yo' gloves? Ya don't gots any?"  
"I do, but I didn't put them on because, well... I can use my pistol better without them."  
Malik had to laugh at that. "Haha! Ya shoot better wifout yo' gloves, huh? Well whass the point, girl? Ya always too skeered ta ever pull out yo' gun in da first place!"  
From anyone else, that would have sounded insulting. Malik, though, said it in such a way that it almost invited her along to laugh at her own spaziness. And so she laughed with him. "Yeah, I have the best intentions, but I just can't think straight sometimes..."  
"Iss just when you're skeered, I can tell," Malik assured her. "Happens ta most people. Anytime dey gets a little fear in 'em, they start makin' dumb decisions left n' right! Dat's fine and all, but girl, if you's gonna be a Bounty Hunter, yo' really gonna have ta work on dat. I dun wanna scare ya, but I'm bein' honest. Gots ta learn how ta control yo fear enough to make the right choices, ya dig?"  
"Yeah, I get you," Victoria said with a nod.

At that moment, the cockpit door opened and Dusty walked in. He walked right past the two, heading for one of the beds. He sat down on it, put his elbows on his knees, and his hands on his cheeks. He looked very angry about something, a look that was rare for him. Malik and Victoria knew it must have been a big deal.  
"Umm... Wassup Dusty?" Malik asked lightly.  
"Hey..." was all Dusty replied.  
"Dat was some pretty wild stuff we did back on Blobsoh VII, huh?"  
"I guess..."  
"Umm... everythin' alright?"  
"Great. Just peachy..."  
"You sure, homie? You look kinda upset."  
"Where's Scythe?"  
"Right buhind you, man! He's asleepin', so try not ta wake 'im."  
"I won't..."  
"How's Samus doin' in dere?"  
"She's fine..."  
"Oh, umm... any idea where da second temple place is at, yet?"  
"Can we just not talk for a minute?"

Dusty still didn't even look up. Malik and Victoria looked at one another, slightly concerned. Seeing the usually happy-go-lucky Dusty so moody was very strange for them, almost depressing. Even Victoria couldn't help but feel nervous that something was very wrong.

At last, Malik finished bandaging up Victoria's left pinky finger, thus having bandaged them all. He sat back and looked her from head to toe. She had one bandage on her cheek, one wrapped around each of her fingers, and one around her ankle from when Scythe cut her. Beneath her suit, too, he knew there were two others covering her Metroid bites. He rudely chuckled at the sight. "Daaamn girl! You look like a tried-and-true war veteran, all covered in dem band-aids! O' maybe even like a mummy! Ha!"  
Victoria could feel herself blushing in embarrassment. "Oh, shut up!"  
"Oh, alright. I'll shut up fo' a little while." He then turned and began to cruise on over to the door to the cockpit. "Imma go talk ta Samus and see where we're at. You be careful wit dose injuries o' yours, a'ight?"  
"OK."  
"Yeah, and remember what I told ya. Learn ta control dat fear o' yours, and you'll really be onta somethin'!"  
"OK..."  
And With a friendly nod, Malik was out of the room.

Victoria examined the bandages all up and down her body. Wow, she really DID look like she'd just come out of a war hospital. That, or a mummy's tomb. What had she done to get some many injuries in such a short time? Maybe she was just unlucky. That went without saying...  
It was at that moment that she realized how tired and hungry she was. She wasn't sure, but she estimated that it had been two days since she last ate or slept. And, considering the current circumstances, she might have to go several more without doing either. She groaned at the thought. Did Bounty Hunters really have to endure such conditions all the time? How did Samus do it?? That woman had a will of iron that no human being could possibly match. She envied that strength. Oh, how she wished she could just lean over and drift off to sleep on the very bed she sat on...

Holding her growling stomach, Victoria curiously turned her head. There she saw Dusty, still sitting on that bed behind her, looking down at the floor through his hands. She thought she noticed him looking at her before quickly looking back down at the floor. Did he wish to talk to her? Well that wasn't big news...  
And yet, for some reason now, she was actually a small bit willing to hear what he had to say...  
Now THAT was big news.  
But if he really wanted to talk, why wouldn't he say anything? Was he really so angry? Or was he afraid...?  
Whatever the wall was that was between the two, it was about to come down... if only temporarily.

Victoria decided that Dusty wasn't going to speak up, even though it was clear that he wanted to. Maybe he just needed proof that she would listen to what he had to say. What better proof could she give than actually speaking up herself?  
"Dusty?" she asked quietly.  
Dusty looked up at her from the ground. He smiled slightly. "Sup Vicki?"

Victoria wasn't sure what to say from that point. She stuttered a little. "Umm... D-did something happen?"  
"Feh..." Dusty moaned. "Yeah, something happened."  
"Well... what?"  
Dusty shrugged. "Me and Samus got in an argument. No big deal."

Victoria cocked her head to the side. "You sure? You seem kinda... umm..."  
"Pissed off? Angst-ridden? Like I've just been F'd in the A? Yeah, a little bit."  
"Oh... What was the argument about?"  
"Why do you wanna know? You gonna use your silent demeanor to make it all better or something?"  
Victoria shrank a bit at Dusty's question, but she still nodded. "I can try..."  
"Well, alright... But you know, it's sorta ironic. Cuz you see, we were actually kinda arguing about you."

Victoria frowned and her eyes grew more sad and confused than usual. She was disturbed to hear that she had been the center of an argument, let alone one between Dusty and Samus. "W-what do you mean?"  
Dusty sighed and resumed looking at the floor between his knees. "Well, uhh... It's about that whole spider thing that happened back there. You remember that, yeah?"  
Victoria immediately glanced at the bandages on her fingers. Dusty knew right then what her answer would be and continued. "Right. Well... Those things were coming after me, right? And so I ended up hanging from a vine while they were all starting to crawl around on the ceiling and down the vine so they could get me. So I started shooting 'em off, and I guess that kinda made them fall down to where you and Samus and Malik were."  
"Wait... that was you??" Victoria asked in disbelief.  
"Yeah, that was me. So yeah, Samus blamed me for getting you hurt cuz I was making all those bugs rain down on you guys."  
"Dusty, did you even know we were right down below you??"  
"I, uhh... I was panicking, alright? Those bugs were about to rape me, I know it! What was I supposed to do?!"

"Well, Dusty, did you ever think maybe it'd be better if, you know... you went out rather than the rest of us?"  
Dusty gave her a look like she was crazy. "Oh for God's sake, that is EXACTLY what Samus said. What is she, your big momma role model now?"  
"Yes!" Victoria said defensively. "She IS like a role model to me. And if she really said that too, then it looks we agree that you made the wrong choice."  
"Oh come ON! Does anybody ever give me a freakin' break around here??" Dusty asked himself in vain.

By now, Victoria was feeling more bold than she ever remembered. Consequentially, she brought up an issue that she was sure Dusty had long since forgotten. "You know Dusty... you still never apologized for the cuts I got on my leg."  
"Hey, I didn't make Scythe go crazy and cut you, alright? Heck, I didn't make you come out and witness me yank him out of the refrigerator, either."  
"Yes you did."  
"No I DIDN'T! I asked you more than a few times, but ultimately, the decision was yours to actually come out! If you were so sure you were gonna get hurt, you shoulda known better than to listen to me."  
"Well you know what? MAYBE I just wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt, OK? MAYBE I just wanted to know that I could trust you! I guess it was a good thing I did that, too. Because now I know that, not only can I not trust you to protect me from your own dumb mistakes, but I also can't trust you to admit your mistakes, either!"

Dusty's lip began quivering with that statement. The genuine frustration in Victoria's eyes was having a seriously profound effect on his soul. As much as he tried to argue back... and as much as he wanted to convince her - and himself - that he'd done nothing wrong... All he could manage in the end was to bury his face in his hands and let the painful truth out.

"Ooooohhh... You're right. You and Samus both..."

Victoria had been so ready for another of his defensive comebacks that his submission really hit the soft spot in her heart. Miraculously, for that moment, she almost felt sorry for him. "W-what did you say?"  
"I said you're right," he responded sadly, not even looking up. "There ain't no denying it. I'm the one that got your leg slashed up. I'm the one that was too much of a chickenshit to let those spiders murder me. I'M the one that got your face and fingers burned off... And like a loser, I tried to argue with those truths. Not only with Samus, but with you, too. God, I'm such an ASS..."  
He moved his hands away from his face, and hesitantly looked up at Victoria. She could see a single tear running down his right cheek. And at last, she heard him say the words her ears had been waiting to hear...  
"I'm sorry, Vicki. I'm so sorry..."  
He then went on further to say some things that really made her realize how hard she had been.  
"Scythe should've sliced my freaking neck open. Heck, maybe I SHOULD'VE have just let those bugs molest and devour me. I'd have rather had either of those happen than have to see you as you are right now..."

Victoria's chest grew ponderous and flooded with the strangest emotion. Since Dusty was normally so goofy and carefree, hearing him speak in such a genuine, apologetic tone multiplied the impact of his words tenfold. It was at that moment that she realized - while Dusty was perhaps the most annoying human being she'd ever had the displeasure of working with, he really did have a heart of gold, and if there was any reason for her to hate him as she thought she once did... well, she hadn't found it yet. "Oh Dusty. I... I'm sorry too. Really, I'M the stupid one. I could have avoided getting hurt in any of those situations if I'd just... thought about what I was doing more."  
Dusty chuckled. "Well, I guess we're both guilty of not thinking, huh?"  
Victoria smiled too. "Yeah, I guess we are."

Dusty stood up from the bed and stretched his arms. He then walked a few steps over to the bed where Victoria sat and kneeled down in front of her. If she didn't know better, she'd have guessed he was going to propose. "Listen, Vicki... to prove how sorry I am, I'm gonna magically heal all your injuries with my magical-man finger powers!"  
"What?? Y-you can really do that?"  
"Haha! Naw, just messing. But I've got the next best thing, I think."  
"Really? What?"  
"Just a little surprise..."  
Dusty then reached into his back pocket...  
And pulled out a dazzling piece of jewelry studded with small diamonds, encircling a polished pink pearl right in the center.  
When Victoria saw it, she lost her heart at once.

"D-Dusty..." she stammered, "W-where did you...?"  
"I bought it for on Ebay for a bajillion million dollars just to say I'm sorry!"  
"R-really? You... Wait a minute, you're kidding me again, aren't you?"  
"HaHA! You're getting good at that! Naw, I found it in the temple. But hey, I coulda _sold_ it on Ebay for a bajillion million dollars, but nope! Of all the things I coulda done with it, I'm giving it to you. Congrats! Now if I just knew what the stupid thing was..." "It's a bracelet..." Victoria answered, struggling to contain the elation growing inside her.  
"Oh yeah, duh! One of those things!" Dusty said, snapping his fingers. "Here, lemme help you put it on."  
"No, Dusty. You really don't have to..."  
"Yes I do, Vicki! Now be quiet and let me do this."

As delicately as he could, taking care not to touch her damaged fingers, Dusty carefully wrapped the chain around Victoria's wrist and fastened the buckle. Once it was on, the pearl seemed to shine more brilliantly than before, as though in response to Victoria's joy.  
"How's it look?" Dusty asked. "Too flashy for ya? I bet."  
"No..." she told him. "It's beautiful. I've... I've never worn any piece of jewelry my whole life. This is just... wow!"  
"Well, you wouldn't need it, really. You're pretty enough as it is!"

Victoria's smile slowly faded when Dusty made that comment. She gazed up at him with a deep curiosity. He pretended not to notice. "But yeah," he continued, "I know that thing ain't gonna fix any damage that's already been done, but... I hope you can forgive me as it is. Can you? Pweeease?"  
She gave him her curious stare for another moment or two. But her lips eventually widened into a grin joyous enough to match even Dusty's. "...Yeah, I can. Thank you, Dusty."  
"No. Thank YOU, Victoria."  
"Hey... wait a minute! You just called me 'Victoria'!"  
"I what?"  
"You didn't call me 'Vicki' that time! You called me by my real name!"  
"No I didn't!"  
"Yes you did! I heard you!"  
"No I didn't. I'd never do such a thing, Vicki. Be quiet!"  
"Aw, you DO care!"  
"No I don't! I won't hear it! Be quiet! NOOO!!"

The two laughed together for a long time. It was partly a product of the funny little conversation they'd just had, but there was something deeper to the whole deal as well. A true happiness had really blossomed between the two. Dusty and Victoria... both at completely opposite ends of the spectrum of life, and yet somehow, deep down, both meeting right at the center of it all. And what a beautiful place it was...

Following the laughter was a pleasant, jovial silence. The two said nothing, merely staring at one another's bright, smiling faces, just struggling not to burst into laughter again.  
Dusty then decided to close this precious moment with something special. Saying nothing still, he leaned forward and gave Victoria a quick hug before quickly pulling away. And he wondered, had he the courage to hold on longer, would she have hugged him back?  
Judging by the look in her eyes when he pulled back, he guessed maybe. Just maybe...  
And with that, he stood up and walked out of the room.

Victoria was once again left alone, save for Scythe still sleeping soundly in his bed. Feeling her cheeks grow red, she admired the grace and beauty of her new pearl bracelet. The feelings swelling in her chest at last escaped in the form of a single tear. For the first time in her life, even though she was alone as she normally was, she didn't feel the slightest bit lonely...

* * *

"We almost to da Federation place yet, Samus?"  
"Yes, Malik. It's right there! Can't you see it?"  
"Huh...? Oh, snap! How'd we get here so fast?!"  
"The 4D Splitter, of course. Remember?"  
"Uhhh... Oh yeeeah! Man, that thing sho' comes in handy."  
"Sure does. I guess Space Pirate technology's good for SOMEthing."  
"Heheh, yeah... Say uh, Samus? Ya know if Dusty's feelin' OK?"  
"Why do you ask?"  
"I dunno. He just walked in dere lookin' kinda upset 'bout somethin'."  
"Oh... really?"  
"Yeah. I dunno, iss just sorta weird since, ya know, I ain't never seen Dusty get upset about NOTHIN' befo'. Whaddya think's wrong wid him?"  
"...Well, I'd explain what I think is wrong, but we're just about ready to dock. Can you let the others know?"  
"Oh... yeah. Sho' thing, Samus."  
"Thank you."

As Samus eased her Gunship into the Galactic Federation's docking bay, Malik wheeled his way towards the berth room. Just before he reached the door, it opened right in front of him. Dusty came walking out, With a content face. He hardly noticed Malik standing right there until he spoke up. "Hey Dusty. We's heah!"  
"What? Already?? That was only, like, ten minutes! Samus musta put Flubber in the gas tank or something!"  
"We traveled through da 4th dimension, ya dummy. Now could ya go back in dere an' git Victoria?"  
"No problemo, Malik man. Oh, wait... should we maybe take Scythe in with us?"  
"Oh yeah, dat's an idea. I'm figgerin' Mr Vapor's gonna wanna see 'im..."  
"You wanna carry him, or should I?"  
"Iss all good, Dusty. You carried him all da time on Blobsoh VII. I kin do it dis time."  
"Awesome. Thanks bro. I didn't exactly fancy the thought of him having sex with my suit again."  
"Uhhh... yeah. Anyway, lets get goin'. Mista Vapor's prolly waitin'..."

It wasn't long before all four of the group members filed out of the docked Gunship and into the GF Headquarters, With Scythe riding on Malik's back, still asleep. They traversed the halls until they reached the door to Mr Vapor's office.  
"So, shall we?" Dusty asked, grabbing the door handle.  
"Hold on a second," Samus said, pulling out the white disk. "In addition to telling our mission status to Mr Vapor, we also need to find a computer in here that can read the data on this disk."  
"What da hell is that thang?" Malik asked, looking questioningly at the odd white object.  
"Dusty says he found it in that temple. It looks like a data storage device, but it looks REALLY outdated, and kind of crappy. We'll need an outdated, crappy computer to match it With..."  
Malik snapped his fingers. "Oh, I know! Dusty, ain't dere a Microsoft computer down dere where we got dose Pirate thingies deciphered?"  
"Why yes indeedy!"

"A Microsoft computer?" Samus asked. "Perfect! Alright, I say we split up so we can get out of here as soon as possible. I don't know about you all, but I'm hungry as a Sheegoth in the summertime."  
Everyone agreed that they were all very hungry.  
"Oh, and sleepy as a gamer searching for the Sky Temple Keys!"  
"Shut up Dusty."  
"OK. But we all are sleepy, yeah?"  
Again, everyone agreed.  
"And that part of the game REALLY-"  
"Shut UP, Dusty!"

"Anyways," Samus continued, "We're gonna split up. Two talk to Mr Vapor, and two get this disk thing figured out. Any takers on either job?"  
"Oh, I'll stay here and talk to Mr Vapor!" Dusty volunteered. "And Vicki'll do it with me! Ain't that right, Vicki?" He gave her a playful punch on the shoulder.  
Samus looked at Victoria, unsure. "...That OK With you, Victoria?"  
Victoria didn't appear hesitant to go along With it. She merely shrugged. "...I don't mind."

Needless to say, Samus was shocked to hear this. Just a day ago, Victoria would have sneered at Dusty's offer in disgust. How had Victoria warmed up to him all of a sudden? Especially after all the trouble he got her into the past day?

Samus was so famished and tired that she didn't waste the energy to think about it. "Alright. You two go head on in." She looked over at Malik. "Let's go to the computer room." That said, she began to walk.  
"Cool, cool..." he muttered, turning and following her down the hall. Before he left, Dusty took Scythe off of Malik's back and slung him over his own.  
Once the two had gone, Dusty and Victoria faced each other and nodded. With that, they walked into the office.

Samus and Malik ended up in the computer room minutes later, and approached the large Microsoft computer on the northern wall. In response to their approach, the screen flickered and turned on, filling the room With green light.  
"_Good evening,_" it greeted in its synthetic voice. "_I am the Galactic Federation Headquarters Primary computer._"  
"Primary computer??" Samus scoffed. "Yeah, 2 decades ago probably..."  
"_Ah, it is the wheeled black fellow!" _the computer blurted, noticing Malik. _"Who's your rude female friend that you've brought along?_"  
"You crazy??" Malik gaped. "Dis is just da one and only Samus Aran! Best Bounty Hunter around dese parts! Seriously man, you really IS old if you don't know nothin' about HER!"  
"_Well, I... umm... Doh, yes. It is true. My years really are starting to cave in. I mean, I must be so old that..._"  
"Your Social Security number is 3?" Samus finished.  
"_No, I wasn't going to say That-_"  
"Oh, I know! That you ran track wit dinosaurs?"  
"_Pardon me? No, no! I mean to say-_"  
"That your college roommate was Jesus?" Samus joked.  
"_STOP IT!! Yes, I'm a very old and feeble computer, alright? And frankly, I'm quite sensitive about it! Stop making fun of me!_"

Samus and Malik had been trying to hold back their laughter.  
"H-hohh my... Excuse me," Samus choked. "We're re-heally sorry, but in all honesty, we need a rather dated computer at the moment!"  
"_Oh my... Do... do you really? Really and truly?_"  
"You heard 'er, man! Whass yo' date?"  
"_Why, I was built in the glorious year of 1990. Every year I am greeted to new wisdom-rich programs, so I am much wiser than any laptop or supercomputer you'll find in here. You crave my knowledge then, hm?_"  
"Well, no. We actually just have a really old, crappy piece of software that only a senior like you could make use of."  
"_...Oh, is that so?_"  
"Yes, it's so. May we upload it now, please? We're in a hurry."

"_Well now, if you were in such a hurry, why did you feel the need to make fun of my age?_"  
"Iss not so much yo age, man. Iss more the company dat made you."  
"_I... I beg your pardon?_"  
"Just let us upload the thing, OK?"  
"_Hmph! Oh... very well. Go ahead, I suppose._"  
"Thanks a lot grandpa Gates."  
"_Doh... Why couldn't I have been made a Mac? Ugghhh..._"

Samus examined the disk to see its shape, and then searched the computer's hardbox for a slot that looked like it might take it in. When she found one, she tried to insert the disk, but it wouldn't go in. Frustrated, she turned it around and stuck it in the other way. This time, it clicked right in. Old technology... It can leave a new age person flustered, that's for sure. After several minutes of beeping and buzzing, the computer at last opened up a word processor and showed a text document on screen, presumably uploaded from the disk. This was something that would have taken no more than three seconds on any other computer, but that wasn't important. Deathly curious, Samus and Malik began to read.

The secrets revealed in this document proved to be far more crucial than they could have hoped.  
Far more crucial that they might have wanted...

* * *

Mr Vapor was busy playing Mario Kart DS when he heard the door to his office open. He hastily shoved his DS into the drawer and folded his hands on his desk. He was pleased to see two familiar faces approaching. "Dusty! Victoria! How are you two?"  
"Fine, thanks..."  
"Better than you look, I'm sure. ZING!"  
"Well, that's great... Are Samus and Malik with you?"  
"Oh, umm, they're here sir, but they're taking care of some other business. Don't worry, we can represent them."  
"Ah, alright."  
Mr Vapor noticed Scythe was on Dusty's back, piggyback style. It immediately reminded him why these two must have been there.

"So, how did his, umm... 'blessing' go?" He asked, pointing at Scythe.  
"Oh, it went great!" Victoria said proudly. "First leg of the mission accomplished, I would say."  
Dusty nodded crazily. "Hellz yeah! It was NUTS! There were all these scary-as-hell spider things, right? And they were all, like, 'Raaaaahhr! Imma eat you and kill you, in that order!' But then SCYTHE comes along with his new powers, right? And suddenly, BAM! He makes 'em all dogpile Reaper, eat him to death, and then makes 'em all run away like rats out of a burning building! Man, it was great. Seriously great..."  
After hearing Dusty's account of what happened, Mr Vapor appeared to be more confused than fascinated. "Wait... 'Reaper'? Who's Reaper?"  
"You don't know? He's that loser Pirate that pilots the Orpheon."  
When Victoria heard Dusty start saying that, she quickly tried to shush him. However, she was too late. Upon hearing that, Mr Vapor's face grew angry. He slammed his hands on his desk, thus wiping the stupid smirk right off Dusty's face.  
"Pirates?!" Mr Vapor asked sternly. "What did I tell you about crossing paths With the Pirates? ESPECIALLY those of the Orpheon?!"

Dusty fiddled nervously with his fingers, for he now remembered. "To not to..."  
"Exactly! Oh, that is NOT what I wanted to hear. Didn't I say that we can't risk the Space Pirates getting their hands on The Seed??"  
"It wasn't our choice, sir..." Victoria meekly added, making an attempt to back Dusty up. "W-we didn't plan on getting into combat with the Pirates, but they intervened when we were exploring the temple. THEY came to US looking for trouble. Honest..."

"...Oh, is that right?" Mr Vapor asked. He trusted what Victoria said. "Well, OK... I thought maybe Samus had gotten into her 'I need to murder some more Pirates!' mode she gets into all too frequently... But still, that's very unnerving. Do you realize what could have become of us if they'd succeeded in taking The Seed back?"  
"Pssh, no!" Dusty replied. "Nobody even knows what the stupid thing's supposed to be!"  
Again, Victoria had to make up for Dusty's inappropriate reply. "W-we understand, sir, but... The fact is, Scythe killed every last crew member of the Orpheon, including Reaper. They're no longer a threat to our cause anymore, don't you see?"  
"There are many, many other Space Pirates out there," Mr Vapor assured her. "The Orpheon crew made up only a fraction of their total numbers. A grain of sand on a whole bloody beach. To say the Pirate's are no threat to your mission anymore is, well... it's idiotic!"

Victoria frowned and looked down at the ground with a sad, defeated look. It was Dusty's turn to stand up for her. "Hey bro, don't call her an idiot! I mean, c'mon! You of all people should know how Space Pirates are. They claim to be brothers, but every individual secretly hopes to rule them all. You honestly think Reaper or any of his crew told any other Pirates out there about their discovery of The Seed? And all the power it could give them? If they did, I'll eat my own freaking boxers. And I've been wearing the same boxers for a week! Really sir, Victoria's right. The Pirates aren't gonna be a problem anymore."  
It was lucky for Dusty and Victoria that Mr Vapor was such an understanding man. "Hmm... I suppose you're right... You and Victoria, both. Wow, I really have to give you two credit. I was afraid Samus would be doing all the work. Looks like she ended up with some pretty competent teammates after all!"  
Victoria and Dusty both looked at one another and grinned.

The next thing Mr Vapor noticed was the bandages on Victoria's cheek and fingers. He had, in fact, noticed them from the beginning, but figured now was the time to comment. "Umm, Victoria... If you don't mind me asking... what are your injuries from? Not from battling the Pirates, I hope..."  
Victoria felt the bandage on her face. "Oh... No, sir. The spider monsters we saw in the temple. They did this to me..."  
"Oh, but SCYTHE up here saved her!" Dusty bragged. "Ain't that right, little buddy??"  
Scythe was still fast asleep on Dusty's back, and replied only with a gurgle.  
Mr Vapor's eyebrows shot up. This news truly fascinated him. "Really? So with his new powers, Scythe killed all the Pirates of the Orpheon, but saved all of you?"  
"That's right, my man!"  
"Goodness. Even as he is now, Scythe could possibly become our greatest weapon in the battle against Space Pirates the galaxy over. He might not even need that second blessing, come to think of it. Perhaps I could even declare the mission a success at this moment, and get straight to training Scythe for his position in the war!"  
Victoria smiled her biggest smile in recent memory. "Y-you mean... The mission's over? I can...? Headshot... I can go look for him now?? Oh thank you, sir! Thank you so much!"

"Now hold on a minute," Mr Vapor ordered, raising his hand. The optimism in his face faded in that instant. Victoria knew his next announcement would be a serious one. Her smile melted away almost immediately.  
"Even under these circumstances, I still believe it is necessary for you to find this second temple and have Scythe receive his final blessing."  
Dusty pouted his lips, and simply shrugged. "Aw, that's a bummer. I thought maybe today would be the day we got paid... But hey, that's cool. I don't mind workin' with this bunch of loons for another couple days!"  
Victoria, however, looked absolutely crushed. Her hazel eyes glistened with rising tears of bitter disappointment. "B-but... but why, sir? Why...?"

It pained Mr Vapor to have to explain his reasoning with Victoria looking so sad, but nonetheless, he took a breath and began. "It does give me pleasure to say that you two have convinced me that the threat of the Space Pirates stealing The Seed back no longer exists. However, while the Space Pirates are indeed a bother in today's universe, I'm afraid we may be dealing with an enemy far greater than the Pirates ever were..."  
Mr Vapor's tone of voice was cold and dark as an empty grave. Dusty and Victoria glanced at one another, both already worried

"Bigger than the Pirates? You serious? What is it?" Dusty asked.  
"It's... difficult to explain," Mr Vapor stated. "However, one thing's for sure - whatever this enemy is, we have reason to believe that The Seed's existence is firmly related to its own. It's to that end that we believe both blessings will be needed to defeat it..."

"But you haven't even told us what it is!" Victoria pouted. "How big of a threat are we talking?"  
Mr Vapor sighed heavily again and went on. "You both know of the star Old Major, right?"  
"Old Major? Yeah. That's the star that the Pirates tried to launch Scythe at when he first got The Seed in him. We saved him, though."  
"Right, of course. But you see, ever since then, some very strange activity has been reported around there. I sent a team of four Bounty Hunters, much like you four, to go and investigate. However, once they were a few miles away from its surface, we suddenly lost contact With them. From what we could hear over our communicators, a large entity emerged from the flames of Old Major's surface and... did something to them. Something terrible..."  
"So?" Victoria asked. "It could've just been a sun flare that erupted from the surface and torched their ship. I know it's sad, sir, but... saying its an enemy greater than the Space Pirates? That's just a stupid conclusion to jump to..."

"But that's not all," Mr Vapor added menacingly. "Remember when you first rescued Scythe and brought him here to the Federation, before leaving for Blobsoh VII? Shortly after you left, something very odd happened. We received a broadcast radio message from an unknown source. I haven't heard it myself, mainly because... Evidently, everyone who has listened to it... has died..."  
"Died?!" Dusty asked. "From hearing a radio broadcast? What, is it a new single by Madonna or something?"  
"No Dusty, it's nothing to joke about either. They didn't die of intense radio frequencies or anything of that sort. They died horrible, gruesome deaths..."

"Madonna can have that effect on people. Making 'em stab themselves and whatnot."  
"I don't know who you're talking about, but believe me, it's far worse than that, Dusty. One worker had the skin ripped clean off of his face, while another threw up all of the blood in his body in a single regurgitation. It's... it's..."

"It's bullshit!" Victoria nearly shouted. "I don't believe any of it! How is a radio signal going to maim a person like that? And if anyone who hears this broadcast dies, how can you be sure it's the broadcast that's killing these people? And how can you POSSIBLY relate this to what happened at Old Major?! This doesn't make any sense! You're not making any sense, Mr Vapor! Now, I don't know why you're doing this to me, why you're not just letting this mission end and letting me go look for Headshot, but... Ugh! Why are you doing this to me!?"  
In a fit of anger and frustration, Victoria fell to her knees and began sobbing into the palms of her hands. Dusty right away knelt down to try and console her. Victoria's shouting had woken up Scythe who, in response to her sobbing, began to cry himself. The small office was exploding with activity, and Mr Vapor thought me might just go insane.

"Victoria, listen to me!!" he demanded. "I know how upset you must be right now, but you will listen to me when I give you an order! Is that understood?!"  
"No, you listen to ME!!" she choked, lifting her head to look at him with her wet face. "I swear to you, you'd BETTER give me some proof that the shit you're telling me is true! Let me listen to that broadcast!"  
"I can't risk that, Victoria! It's too dangerou-!"  
"LET ME LISTEN TO IT, DAMMIT! I DON'T CARE IF I DIE! IT'S MY CHOICE! JUST LET ME!!"  
"Vicki, what the devil's gotten into you??" Dusty asked, growing more and more worried by her frantic attitude. Scythe, too, cried louder and louder with each rapidly passing minute.

Mr Vapor got ready to say something in response, but decided to take a second to think about it. Victoria had a good reason to be upset, and a good reason to want to hear the broadcast, but should he let her? Should he really risk her dying? His mind went foggy with overflowing thoughts...

* * *

The door to the communications room opened wide, and in walked Victoria, eager and praying to prove the ridiculous broadcast rumor false. "What do I do to play it back?" she asked seriously.  
Dusty and Mr Vapor came staggering in after her. They'd hardly been able to keep up.  
"Victoria..." Mr Vapor gasped. "I didn't approve of you listening to it. Please, don't do anything rash."  
"Just tell me what I have to do!" she demanded, clenching her fists.  
"You better do what she says, man," Dusty warned Mr Vapor. "The cutest ones always turn out to be freakin' beasts when they're angry."  
"I'll just have to talk some sense into her, then..." Mr Vapor decided.

"You'll talk NOTHING into me!" she snapped back. "See, look?" she did a 360 and examined the floor of the entire room. "I don't see any dead bodies or blood or anything like that!"  
"Obviously, Ms Matamimis, we-"  
"_Matamales_! Goodness, can you EVER get it right?!"  
"Ms... Matamales, excuse me. Obviously, we already had them removed and all the blood cleaned up. You don't even realize how frantic and out-of-mind you sound right now. Please, just relax for a second and-"  
"I'll relax when I hear this broadcast with my own ears! If your story's false, then you'll have no excuse not to end this mission and let me go to Urrth. If it's true, well, we'll all die. But hey, we all die eventually, right? Nothing wrong with getting things done early!"  
"Oh man, she really HAS lost it..." Dusty muttered under his breath.  
"Mr Vapor, how do I play back the broadcast?! Tell me!"  
Mr Vapor didn't answer. He was too afraid of the consequences of any action he might choose.  
Victoria practically growled. "Look, just tell me how to play it back! You and Dusty don't even have to stay in here if you're too afraid. Then later you can come back and see if I haven't been sliced open. That good enough??"

Mr Vapor took Victoria's deal to heart right away. He pitied her situation, and respected her bravery, seeing as she was willing to listen to this killer radio message all alone. In fact, Mr Vapor himself began to wonder if the broadcast really was the evildoer. It really did sound ridiculous that something composed of sound could murder.  
"C'mon Vapor dude," Dusty told him, patting him on the shoulder. "She's wiggin' it pretty bad. Just let her do what she wants. I'll stay with her, but you don't have to."  
"No... No, it's fine. I'll stay here as well. I really need to hear that thing, too," Mr Vapor replied in a sure, but anxious tone. "Victoria, just press the green 'Play' button, and it will play..."  
Victoria wasn't the slightest bit daunted or worried. She quickly walked over and slammed the button down with her fist. The loud speakers on both ends of the room made a high-pitched sound, indicating that they were springing to life. She crossed her arms, looked down, and just listened.  
Dusty and Mr Vapor both stood in the center of the room, in dead silence, waiting for the frequencies to begin playing...

A sound then began to protrude from the speakers and fill the entire room. It was a low, sadistic moaning, so evil-sounding that it penetrated the three listeners all the way to the bone and made their blood run colder than frost. A faint, whispering howl would occasionally sound, the wail of a tortured ghost that would drift close before fading into the distance.  
So chilling, so unsettling... what could the source of these sounds be?  
And when was it going to end...?

Scythe reacted especially strangely to these noises. Still hoisted up on Dusty's back, he had been awakened by the broadcast, but remained completely still and silent, merely looking up at the ceiling. What was running through his mind was anyone's guess, but it might have been obvious that the sounds were in some way familiar to him...

Victoria listened intently to the broadcast. While the sounds were indeed frightening, she felt more pissed off than afraid. THIS collection of freaky sounds had supposedly scalped a person's face and made another throw up all the blood in their body? Bull. These sounds would make a good soundtrack for a kid's walkthrough haunted house, but that was all. So much for an 'enemy greater than the Pirates'. There was no reason why she shouldn't just hop aboard one of the Federation's ships and just fly to Urrth in search of Headshot, with or without Mr Vapor's consent. Not after how he'd lied to her. She was just about to turn and tell him that when...

"HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!! MR VAPOR!! WHAT'S HAPPENING?!"

Victoria heard Dusty's outburst and quickly looked over in alarm. Mr Vapor had fallen to the floor and was writhing around sporadically. It was as though something was beating him up from the inside. As much as he tried to scream, nothing escaped his throat but several spurts and fountains of blood.  
"Oh my God! Oh my God!" Dusty frantically dropped down to try and hold Mr Vapor still, but Mr Vapor clearly wasn't governing his own actions - there was something far stronger and more elusive at work. And whatever it was, it was clear Mr Vapor would die from it in a matter of seconds.

Victoria covered her mouth, her eyes wide and her breathing heavy. She could only stare at Mr Vapor as he struggled against the dark power threatening to tear him apart. What had she done...?  
That low, melancholy moaning. The passing, windy wails...  
The broadcast! She had to switch it off!

With a start, Victoria whirled around and pressed the green button again. However, it did nothing. The broadcast continued to play, and showed no signs of quieting down. Mr Vapor grew more and more restless. Victoria bit her lip as she searched for some sort of control that could turn the speakers off. However, she couldn't see anything more than the green 'Play' button. There had to be SOMEthing that turned it off. There just HAD to be!  
"VICKI!!" Dusty shouted. "Shut that thing off! SHUT IF OFF!!"  
"I don't know what to do!!" Victoria sobbed, just about ready to break down. There was absolutely no other buttons or controls to be found. In desperation, she pounded the 'Play' button over and over and over. The broadcast did not stop.  
By now, Mr Vapor's bloodshot eyes had rolled into the back of his head. He wasn't going to last much longer.

"C'mon man, fight it! Fight it!!" Dusty kept ordering Mr Vapor. He grabbed him by the shoulders and tried to hold him as still as he possibly could. But Mr Vapor was utterly inconsolable.  
"What the hell are you!?" Dusty shouted, directed at the beast within. "The devil?!"  
Dusty turned to Victoria, his face shiny with sweat! "Vicki! DO something!!"

Victoria didn't reply. She couldn't reply. The horror of the situation at hand was causing the fear to clog up in her throat. There were no buttons or controls besides the 'Play' button. None at all. As much as she tried to convince herself of this, she just could not stop looking. Looking for some salvation from this nightmare...  
That sadistic moaning emanating from the speakers...  
It was driving her insane. The damage it was inflicting on her mind would be permanent, she knew it.

Suddenly, the strangest sensation filled her body. A burning fury that flared up from her gut and scorched her body and mind. A feral noise escaped her throat - half scream, half roar - and as fast as lightning, pulled out her pistol. Goodness knows how many shots she fired at the mass piece of machinery at that moment. Sparks were flying, flames igniting, and shots boomed with such consistency they nearly drowned out the sound of the radio message altogether.  
Whatever animalistic rage had overcome Victoria, whatever had prompted her to blow the radio technology to pieces... It had worked.

The green 'Play' button had a hole shot right through the center of it as well, and the entire wall of gadgetry looked like it'd just been through a war zone and back. The large speakers, which were now polka-dotted with smoking holes, were now no longer producing any sound.  
The passing rage now converting into pure numbness, Victoria exhaled loudly and fell to her knees.

Dusty still held Mr Vapor's body by the shoulders, but his body was now no longer moving. Mr Vapor's blood drenched his cheeks and formed a puddle on the floor beneath his head. The way his head lay so limply... Dusty feared Victoria might have been too late. He lay Mr Vapor's body on the ground, put two fingers together, and pressed against his neck.  
Miraculously, he felt a pulse. A slow pulse, but a pulse nonetheless.  
"YES! Hallelujah!" Dusty shouted in triumph. "Vicki, way to work it, girl! You saved our asses!"  
Victoria looked up slowly at him. "He's... he's alive?"  
"Yeah! He's still got a pulse! Can you believe it?! Oh MAN this feels good!"  
"Dusty, he's still not moving."  
"So? He's doin alright."  
"I don't see him breathing..."  
"How can you SEE someone breathing? God, why don't you just go easy on yourself and believe me when I say he's gonna be OK?"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes, I'm absolutely, positively... kinda sure."  
Victoria depressingly moaned. She was too worn out to stand, so she merely crawled over to where Dusty and Mr Vapor were on the ground. Biting her lip, she gently touched Mr Vapor's cheek.  
"I killed him..." she said lowly. Hearing herself say those words almost brought her to tears.

Dusty just shook his head. "Vicki, listen. He's gonna be fine. You didn't kill anybody. You couldn't kill anybody if you wanted to. God just wouldn't allow it!"  
Victoria raised an eyebrow, beyond confused. "I don't get it. You're always talking about this 'God' person, but who the heck is he supposed to be, and what's his deal? Is he like the master of the universe or something?"  
"Exactly!" Dusty replied, grinning a bit.

Victoria just shook her head. "No... That's not possible. No man can rule the entire universe by himself. The universe... it's so big, it... doesn't even really exist."  
"Who said God was a man?" Dusty asked. As he did, he lifted Mr Vapor's ragdoll-like body and lay it flat on the table. "And the universe exists. It's just... something beyond our understanding."  
"Well if it's beyond our understanding, how do you know it so well?"  
"I never said I did. It's just a little something called faith."  
"Faith? As in... faith between a man and a woman?"  
Dusty was about to reply, but he must have figured that nothing he said could possibly suffice what he wanted it to mean, so he merely chuckled and shook his head. "...Naw, just forget it."

Victoria was over it, too. She was focused entirely on Mr Vapor. "...Are we just gonna leave him here?"  
"Well, what else could we do with him? The guy's out cold."  
"But what are we gonna tell everyone? Dusty, he's the PRESIDENT of the Galactic Federation! Don't you realize how serious this is?"  
"Well, yeah! C'mon Vicki, I'm not STUPID!"

"Yeah? And how do I know that? Especially when you parade around saying something named... 'Cod'... controls the entire universe."  
"**G**OD!" Dusty corrected her harshly. "Now if you're done moping, let's get out of here and find Samus and Malik. Mr Vapor'll be found, and he'll get the medical crap he needs. Now let's just get going before..."  
His voice trailed off.

Victoria turned her head and gazed upon the ruined audio equipment. The sounds that it had been producing earlier still echoed in and out of her mind. "...What were those sounds? Where did it come from...?"  
Dusty shrugged, the sound still repeating itself in his head, too. "Meh, just a wild guess - Old Major."  
"Old Major's a STAR, Dusty. How could anyone send a broadcast from there? They'd burn up!"  
"Hey, I just said it was a guess! Ya know, seeing as some monster evidently hangs out there that killed a bunch of Bounty Hunters."  
"Why didn't we die when WE heard it...?" Victoria wondered aloud, getting off the previous subject.  
"Maybe we're just lucky. Or we're just cool like that. Ain't that right, Scythe, my man?"

Scythe was still and silent as stone. He was still looking straight up at the ceiling. It was certain the horrible sounds that had invaded the room not long before had had a serious effect on him. He appeared so focused, as though something he'd forgotten was trying to be remembered...

Dusty just shrugged. "Hmm, guess silence means 'yes'. Anyway, let's get out of here, Vicki. And let's not mention this to anyone..."  
Victoria nodded, and began to follow Dusty out of the Communications Room. As she passed Mr Vapor's body, though, she stopped. She reached deeply into the breast pocket of her suit, and pulled out her medal. The medal Mr Vapor had given her as a congratulations for a job well done on her first mission.  
She didn't deserve any congratulations. All she was good for was getting herself and others hurt or nearly killed. That was the cold, hard truth, and another reminder of that truth lay right in front of her. It was almost too heartbreaking to bear.  
With a deep, quivering breath, she lay the medal on Mr Vapor's chest.  
"I'm sorry..." was all she said.

Wiping away the hundredth tear to shed from her eye that very day, she walked out the door with her head hung low. Dusty gave her an affectionate pat on the shoulder.  
And Scythe... He still did nothing but stare out into space. He'd heard something within the frequencies of the haunting broadcast that none of the others had. And it was making his mind pump out some very bizarre thoughts...

* * *

--

**THE SEEDLING PROPHECY  
(From the Old Testament)**

**"Lucifer, for the sake of the cosmos and the good souls living within, thy soul shalt remain within the bowels of the earth and the earth alone. Should you choose to act against my will, your Judgment shall be mine."**

**"Jehovah, you beseech me to remain among the earth when there are worlds beyond which thirst for my divine redemption? Thy threat of Judgement drives mine own thirst evermore! The sake of the cosmos... I spit upon sake! For thine own, I recommend that thou grant me the freedom I desire."**

**"You speak to me of redemption? My Lucifer, ye know nothing of it. And thy request of freedom to travel to worlds beyond is null as it is void. The time for mercy is at its end. Ye shall receive none more from me."**

**"My dear father Jehovah, mine apologies for beseeching. Thou must understand, I am the necessary evil which brings the earth its eternal balance. What tragedy may befall the worlds beyond who know nothing of such virtues as sorrow and bravery and patience? A world that is not fit to exist, my Lord, an empty shell is all it be."**

**"From begging to now preaching, hoping to achieve what you desire? My Lucifer, your foolishness is beyond me, and yet, you speak the truth nonetheless. In all eternities, not a single rebel as magnificent as thou hast risen against my order. No world beyond this earth may know the malice and terror, nor the virtue and strength, of another such as thyself. It is agreed - I shall give thee a chance."**

**"What is it, my Lord Jehovah?"**

**"A Seed. I grant thee the holy right to bear and unleash but a single offspring beyond the heavens and into the boundless reaches of the cosmos. Where he may go, you or I may not know. Thou shalt remain here on the earth, as decreed by myself. If you thirst for freedom beyond, it shall be through the freedom of another - thy Seed."**

**"An offspring, my Lord? Just one, and no more?"**

**"Just one. One in mine own eyes is one too many, but perhaps there is but one last window of mercy I may grant thee before it is eclipsed for all time."**

**"Thou wouldst call your selfishness mercy? For shame. One Seed beyond is not enough."**

**"It is the only deal I am willing to give. Take it as you wish, or thirst for freedom as you may for all eternity."**

**"Very well, my Lord. One Seed is all I shall bear. Moreover, his power and strength shall be mine and mine own to determine. Come that day, his power shall rule over all the cosmos with a hand of righteous fire."**

**"If that be thy wish, than I too, in response, shall bear a Seed of mine own to counter your doomsday. And make no mistake, my Lucifer - the Seed I bear will acquire all the strength of his Master."**

**"I laugh at your threat, Jehovah! A second son thou shalt bear to counter mine? Thy first son met with Death upon my influence. History shall be repeated, My Lord Jehovah."**

**"We shall see, My Lucifer. We shall see."**

**The fell day then came when Lucifer bore his Seed, an offspring of the purest malice and hatred, with hands of blazing flame and spirit of dark haze, and was cast beyond the heavens of earth to the boundless cosmos of beyond. Jehovah heeded the nameless evil Lucifer had allowed to be free among the chaos, and thus hastily acted in response. His second Seed would grace not the pristine world of earth, as his first did, but rather the space beyond to do battle with the youthful bearer of the Apocalypse as forewarned by Lucifer...  
The Seedling of Heart, the Seed of Jehovah, is decreed to be led to the embracing arms of the Guardian, a primal force gifted with Jehovah's own divine power. A Guardian of strong arm, raven hair, and stache. Once, twice, the Seedling shall be rained upon with Jehovah's love and grace - one place of blessing is the mire-ridden retreat and sanctuary of the Chozo, and the second, the world of man, a world graced by the presence of comic Robin Williams, brought down by politician and fool George W Bush, and basked in the glorious light of Jehovah's own masterful game creation, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - so when the Day of Judgement arrives, he shall possess and know the power to be the victor in the final war.  
The Seedling of Hate, the Seed of Lucifer, is decreed to locate and become one with the perpetual dark power of his maker. A single elderly star among the sea of the cosmos shall be the vessel, the port through which The Seedling is to channel his strength to bring forth the Cataclysm to send the cosmos and all within to drown in eternal darkness. Should the fateful day come when Seed and Maker combine, Jehovah and his own will be powerless. The end will come, of this there is knowledge there is no escape...**

**(Disk space insufficient; please transfer additional information to a different storage medium)**

**--**

Samus had finished reading the text document long before Malik, but she was no more or less confused than he was. When he finished, he looked at her, puzzled.  
"What da HELL is all dis about?"  
Samus shrugged. "I have no clue..."  
"Well, ya think 'The Seed' dat's inside Scythe's body is... the one dey was talkin' bout in this thang?"  
"Well sure, but there's one problem - according to this thing, there are TWO Seeds..."  
"Two? Uhh... Oh yeah, thass right. One of Heart, and one of..."  
"Hate, I think... yes, that's right. These two people, Jehover and Lukifer, or something... They each created one. Jehover's was good, and Lukifer's was evil."  
"Well, iss a good thing we got the GOOD one then, huh?" Malik was smiling when he'd said that, but Samus's serious reaction to it made him frown slightly. "Uhhh... wait a minute. We DO have the good one, right?"

"Evidently, we do," said Samus, "But... The document says that the good Seed was released to counter the evil one. So that means, if the good one is With us, then the evil one that's supposed to bring... something really bad, I guess... is out there somewhere."  
"Hmm... What'd it say the evil one was gonna bring? The Apo-... Apoco... Bleh, I dunno."  
"Don't ask. I have no clue, either. Heck, I'm not even sure how serious this whole situation is. How do we know these 'Jehover' and 'Lukifer' people are even all that significant? Or their 'Seeds', for that matter? I'm beginning to think this whole thing is stupid. Can't we just go back to the carefree days when the only 'enemy' we had to deal with was Space Pirates?"  
"Well, Scythe's a Space Pirate..."

"Yeah, alright. I'll just kill him, then. Prove just how important this 'Seed' really is."  
"Whoa now, Samus. Back up, girl. I know dis whole thang's a little wacky, but... I still think it could end up bein' purty serious..."  
"Well who should we ask about it, then?"  
"Uhhhh... Sorry. I dunno."

"Well, whatever. If anything, getting Scythe his second blessing will at least get us paid. And if he ends up countering this 'Apolo-thing' like he's supposed to, then whoop-dee-doo. More power to him."  
"Alright, sounds good to me!"  
"Let's get going to Mr Vapor's office then, shall we?"

"You sho' we shouldn't maybe think a lil' bit mo' bout dis?"

"Let's face it, Malik - we're both totally clueless. Hopefully Dusty and Victoria know at least something of value."  
"Yeah, I reckon. I dunno about does two, though. Victoria's all moody, and Dusty's all, well... ya know, he's Dusty. I always figgered YOU were da smart one, Samus. If anyone would know anything 'bout anything, it would be you."  
"Thanks, but I know what I know and what I don't know. And this... it's beyond me."  
"Alright then, less go, I guess..."

"_Now hold on a minute,_" The computer blurted just as the two were leaving.  
"Yes, what now?" Samus asked, exasperated.  
"_You wish to learn more of this strange document, do you? Well, could I, perchance, do a bit of research on its themes for you?_"  
"Oh? Well, umm, we appreciate it, but, how exactly would you do that?"  
"_Why, through the Internet, of course! Don't you know about the Internet?_"  
"The Internet?" Malik asked. "Well, o' course! Who doesn't know abou-"  
"The what!?" Samus interrupted. "Why no, I don't believe I have. Please explain it to me, Mr Intelligible Computer!"  
"_Indeed? Well, it's quite complicated, but I'll try my best. See, it's this brand new system that-_"  
"Alright, I've heard enough," Samus said, holding up her palm. "Let's go, Malik."  
"Agreed, ma'am," Malik said with a nod, following Samus out of the room.  
"_W-wait!_" The computer shouted in futility. "_I didn't finish... D-don't you want your floppy disk back??_"  
"No, it's a momento. Keep it," Samus called back.  
"_Oh, my. Well, umm... R-rest assured, I shall commence my research on this at once!_"  
"Feel free!" Samus answered as the elevator doors closed on her and Malik.  
"_Will do! It will only take a day or two or... ten to connect to the Internet. Promise!!_"

When Samus and Malik were headed for Mr Vapor's office, they were surprised to see Dusty and Victoria already standing out in the hallway, finished with their business. Malik waved to them both, but neither one waved back. They were both caught up in a conversation of their own, and judging by their facial expressions, it was no laughing matter.  
"Hey you two," Samus said. Both of them snapped out of their fix and faced her.  
"Sup Samus?" Dusty asked, trying his best to smile in a bad situation. "You find out what was on that old white data thingamabob?"  
"Yes, we did. Evidently, it's called a 'floppy' disk..."  
"'Floppy' disk? What the heck? I can think of more than a few things that deserve to be called floppy. One of 'em belongs to Malik."  
"Shut up, man!" Malik snapped. "Why ya gotta be so immature? We bein' serious, now!"

Samus looked through the open door to Mr Vapor's office. He was conspicuously absent. "Were you two just talking to Mr Vapor?"

Victoria swallowed heavily. For a girl that always seemed so troubled, she seemed even more so now than ever before. "Yeah..."  
"Well where is he now? Does he know we got Scythe his first blessing?"  
"He knows..."  
"OK, good. So where is he, then?"

Whatever was building up within Victoria suddenly burst out. She completely broke down. She dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands.  
"He's dead! He's dead! I killed him! He's dead and it's all my fault!!"  
Dusty grunted in frustration. "Vicki, get a grip! I told you, he's not dead!! He's gonna be FINE! Stop blaming yourself!"  
Victoria didn't stand up. "No... It's all my fault...!"  
Dusty's face clenched with anguish. "For God's sake, Victoria, get UP!!" He grabbed her by her shoulders and lifted her body until her feet were off the ground, and then practically dropped her on her feet again. She needed a second to regain her balance, but by now, she had calmed down, completely taken off guard by Dusty's rashness. All she could do was stare at the floor and say nothing.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa!" Samus exclaimed. " What's all this about Victoria killing Mr Vapor?"  
"She didn't kill ANYbody!" Dusty fumed, pointed a straight finger. "There was a bit of an accident, yeah, but it's over now, and nobody was killed. And it was NObody's fault. You hearing me, Victoria?!"  
Victoria looked at the floor and remained silent.  
"RIGHT, Victoria??"  
This time she answered with a faint whimper, but nothing more.  
Dusty sighed and gave up. The girl just seemed beyond help sometimes.

"So, Mr Vapor's alive?" Samus asked.  
"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear - he got in a little accident, but he didn't DIE. He's still got a pulse, he's still got enough blood, he's still breathing, he-"  
"He wasn't breathing..." Victoria muttered sadly.  
"Shut up!" Dusty snapped angrily. "Just shut up, alright?!"  
"DUSTY!!" Samus shouted like an angry schoolteacher. "I'll be the only one saying those words around here, got that??"  
Dusty was immediately quiet.  
Samus cleared her throat and spoke in a softer tone. "OK, listen... We clearly all have a lot of discussing to do. Malik and I discovered some very crucial information regarding The Seed, and you two, umm... have a lot to share as well, I'm sure. However, I know we're all really cranky from having not eaten or slept in at least two days. Having a discussion in this state would be pretty catastrophic, so... I'll tell you what - we'll talk over dinner. How's that?"

Malik whooped in joy. "Hoo-YEEEEAAAH! Thass what I'M talkin' about! Where we eatin' at? Hell, I'm starvin' somethin' FIERCE!"  
Dusty nodded in approval and grinned. "Happiest thing I've heard in a long time! Samus, you sure know how to please a man!"  
Victoria looked up slightly, seeming to enjoy the thought of food, but still very depressed about whatever had just happened to her.  
Scythe, too, was very hungry, and could sense the anticipation in the air. He cooed in excitement and hopped up and down on Dusty's back.  
Samus clapped her hands together and smiled. "Alright! So, anybody know any good joints around here?"

* * *

"Hi there! Welcome to Burger Geemer, awesomest restaurant/RP this side of the galaxy! How many of you this evening?"  
"Four, please."  
"Four? OK, right this way!"  
"Oh hey, buddy, can we get a booth? Chairs are for squares!"  
"Umm... sure thing, sir. Right over here."  
The young male host led the four Hunters through the lively, crowded burger joint to their booth. They were seated right next to a large window, through which they had a lovely view of the radiant Nebula star cluster. A smooth jazz melody played out from the speakers and gave the place a very casual, laid-back atmosphere. Samus and Victoria both shared one seat, while Dusty and Scythe took the other. Malik's lack of legs forced him to stand on his wheels at the head of the table. The host handed them all menus and asked what drinks they wanted. Everyone said just water, except Malik, who ordered a cold beer. The host was then off, leaving the four to talk amongst themselves.

"Malik, you really shouldn't be drinking on the job," Samus warned. "Can't you save it until after the mission's over?"  
"Aw, chill out, Samus!" Malik laughed. "Iss just one beer. I only needs a little pick-me-up ta get me goin'. I'll be a'ight."  
"Yo guys, check this out!" Dusty exclaimed, pointing at something on the menu. "They have something called 'ZE GINORMO TACO', and you can get money if you eat it fast enough!"  
"Oh snap, really? How much?" Malik wondered.  
"Umm... 500 big ones if you eat it in 30 minutes. And 1000 if you eat it with hot sauce!"  
"Ooooh! Less go for it, dawg!"  
"Yeah! Hey Samus? Can we get it? Pleeeeeeease?"  
"Hmm, I dunno if it's a good idea..." Samus thought.  
"Aw, come on! Scythe wants it, too! Ain't that right Scythe, little buddy?"  
Scythe giggled and clapped his hands.  
"Oh... fine," Samus gave in. "But you guys are paying for it."

The waiter stopped by to give each of them their drinks, and then took their orders. Samus ordered a double Burger Geemer, and Victoria, being a fan of Calamari, ordered the fried Jelzap. Dusty, Malik, and Scythe, naturally, ordered 'ZE GINORMO TACO', With hot sauce, and prepared to feast. The wait was going to be a short while, so they used the downtime to begin their planned discussion.

"So, what was on that flippy-flop, whatever thing?" Dusty asked.  
"We'll tell you, but you also need to be sure and tell us what happened to Mr Vapor."  
"No problemo! So where should we start, hm?"  
"How about you two. Victoria, you listening?"

Victoria had been quietly running her finger around the rim of her water glass. She immediately came to. "Huh? Oh, umm... yeah, I'm listening."  
"Good." Samus folded her hands on the table. "What happened?"

Dusty found he was the only one of the three witnesses to actually tell the tale. Scythe couldn't, of course, because of his mental state. Victoria simply refused to talk - the memory was hard for her to cope with, much less talk about. And as Dusty explained the events that had unfolded not a half-hour earlier, Samus and Malik could see why. He described Mr Vapor's speech about how the mission should continue on account of the new threat at Old Major, as well as Mr Vapor's frightening near-death experience involving the mysterious, evil broadcast message. How Victoria had been so eager to end the mission that she agreed to listen to it just to prove that Mr Vapor's story was fake, only to prove, in the end, that it was true.  
"...And the cheese ran away with the spork that jumped over the moon. The end!" Dusty concluded

At the end of the account, Samus and Malik were wide-eyed, and glanced at each other in bewilderment. Scythe made no moves or noises, and simply listened to every detail. Victoria had her face buried in her hands.  
"Goodness..." Samus muttered. "And nobody has any idea where the broadcast came from?"  
"Not a clue," Dusty said with a shrug.  
"Oh, oh! Ya'll said there was a monster on dat Old Major stah, yeah? Ain't that the same stah we saved Scythe from bein' all burned up at?"  
"It is," Samus told him, "I don't see any connection, though. It's likely just a coincidence..."  
"Coincidence?" Dusty scoffed. "Honey, if there's one thing I've learned, it's how to kick ass in Super Smash Bros With Yoshi. If there's TWO things I've learned, it's that there ain't no such thing as 'coincidence'. There's a connection alright, even if we can't see it right now."  
"Bull, man! Bull!" Malik shouted. "...Yoshi's da worst guy in that game and ever'body be knowin' it. Young Link's da man, yo!"  
"Young Link can milk my freakin' nipples and drink whatever comes out!" Dusty snapped back in defense. "Yoshi could hand Young Link's ass to him any day of the month!"

"BOYS!!" Samus shouted, shutting them both up. "You can argue about Super Smash Bros all you want when we've finished the job. But right now, this is strictly business. Got it?"  
"Yes ma'am..." they both said in unison.  
Samus ran a hand through her golden hair and sighed. "So Mr Vapor WILL be alright. You're sure, Dusty?"  
"Yes, I'm sure! For God's sake, I've only said that about 20 bajillion times and counting!"

Samus nodded in belief. "OK, over the course of these past few days, I think now I can trust you." She then turned to Victoria at her side, who seemed to be lost in her own thoughts again. "Victoria?"  
Victoria looked up silently.  
"I need to talk to you in private, after dinner. Alright?"  
Victoria gulped, fearing the worst. She nodded hesitantly, too afraid to say no.  
"Good. We'll talk in the berth room. Be there."

Samus then looked over at Malik. "So, I guess it's time to share our info, then?"  
Malik nodded. "Sho' thing."  
"OK," Samus began. "I'm trying to remember... What did it say again...? Oh yeah! The first part was a conversation between two people called Jeho-"

"No time for talk!" Dusty blurted. "Food's here!"  
"But, Dusty, we're trying to te-"  
"No talk! FOOD!!"  
The waiter slid Victoria her Fried Jelzap, and Samus her double Burger Geemer. Shortly after, two waiters came by carrying the biggest, fattest, most hardcore taco anyone would ever hope to see. It was loaded With beef, chicken, shrimp, and Glencher rump.  
"Aww... hello hell-O!" Malik said, licking his lips.  
"Holy crap!" Dusty drooled. "This is the fourth biggest taco I've ever seen!"  
Scythe squealed in delight.  
Samus and Victoria both just looked at each other, wondering what exactly was it that made men so thick-headed.

Right when the massive taco was set down, Dusty, Malik, and Scythe began to attack it like snarling wolves. The chunks of meat and sauce dripped from their chins as they attempted to scarf it down as fast as possible. Samus knew it was hopeless to ask Malik to help her explain that the floppy disk had said. What concerned her was whether or not Dusty would listen.  
"Dusty, I'm going to start telling you the information we got. Are you listening?"  
"Geez Shamus," Dusty muffled, his cheeks bursting. "Didn't you undershtand me? No dishcushing. Food!"  
"I can see that there's food! But I'm not asking you to talk. Just to listen. Can you at least do THAT?"  
Dusty swallowed his mouthful of taco. "Oh... alright. I'm listening. Make it quick, though. Gotta eat!"

And so Samus told the tale, "The Seedling Prophecy", as it had been called. The conversation between Jehovah and Lucifer, the two Seeds, and the supposed fate of each one. Every detail she might have missed, Malik was there to help her out, though not without spitting up some chewed up meat. Dusty was noticeably quiet during the telling of the prophecy. Upon first hearing the name "Jehovah", his interest piqued and he never lost it. He still ate, but very slowly and methodically, never taking his eyes off Samus.

When at last Samus finished, Dusty was the first to speak up. "Well first of all Samus, their names aren't 'Jehover' and 'Lukifer'. They're pronounced 'Je-hoe-vuh' and 'Loose-if-er'."  
Samus was quite surprised by this. "Wait... you know about them?"  
"Sure, I recognize the names." He took another chunk out of the taco. "Can we talk about this after we're done eating? We're on a time schedule here!"  
Samus was already too intrigued to allow that. She glanced at her watch. "You've been eating for only 15 minutes, and you guys have already eaten 2/3 of that disgusting thing. You have time to spare. Let's talk."  
"But _Saaaaaamuuuuus_!"  
"What?!"  
"...Uh, I got nothin'. OK, we can talk."

Samus nodded in approval. "Alright, I'll let you start. You know who Jehovah and Lucifer are?"  
"Yep. And you don't?"  
"No, can't say I do."  
Dusty looked confused. "So none of you know?"  
Malik shrugged and continued eating. Victoria shook her head and forked her fried Jelzap.  
Dusty threw up his arms. "Oh, come on... Well, you all at LEAST know who God and Satan are, don't you?"  
The name 'God' struck a chord with Samus. "...Hey, yeah. I do recognize the name 'God'..."  
Malik shrugged, clueless, and went on eating. Victoria looked up. "Umm... You did tell me a little bit about him, Dusty. You said he was the leader of the universe or something?"  
"Yeah, exactly!" Dusty exclaimed. "And the Devil? Anyone know about him?"  
Nobody said anything.  
Dusty sighed. "Oh please, you've all gotta be KIDDING! Malik!"  
"Yeah?"  
"How many times have you said the word 'hell' in the past two days?"  
"Umm... I dunno. A lot. I kinda say dat word a lot..."  
"Yeah? In what context?"  
"Uh, lesse... Usually I'm like, 'What da hell?' and stuff. I hear lotsa people say it."  
"Right right, but do you know what 'hell' actually means?"  
Malik chewed his food very slowly, just looking at Dusty, not saying a word.  
"I'll take that as a 'no'," Dusty deduced.

"Well," Samus said, "I admit to having said a lot of times, too. What does 'hell' mean, then?"  
"Hell is... Ooo, what's that? A piece of Shriekbat meat?!" He snatched the meat and shoved it into his mouth. "Umm... yeah. Hell ish thish plashe that you go when you die, but only if you were a shinner when you were alive."  
"A shinner?" Samus asked.  
Dusty quickly chewed and swallowed. "SINNER. My bad."  
"OK, so what does that have to do with these Jehovah and Lucifer people?"  
"Everything!" Dusty assured her. "I'll start from the top - Jehovah is the Christian name for God, and Lucifer is the Christian name for Satan..."  
"OK, OK, you lost me at 'Christian'. What is that?" Samus wondered.  
"Meh, don't worry about that. Anyway, Jehovah rules over the entire universe, and is made of the very essence of love and virtue. Lucifer, on the other hand, is the ruler of Hell, and knows only eternal fear and suffering. He's the source of all the ugliness and pain that we know."  
Malik practically spit up the meat in his mouth and laughed. Dusty flashed him a cold stare. "What, Malik? You think I'm joking?? That I'm just pulling some random fairy tale out of my ass?? I'm dead serious about this! You'd better believe me!"  
Malik was taken aback. "Oh, uh... I'm sorry, man. Iss just... well, all dat IS kinda far-fetched. I mean, ONE guys controls all da universe, and ONE other guy is da source o' all the pain and sad stuff in da universe? If ya didn't sound so serious 'bout it, I'd say it was wack."  
"Well, ya know what? It might sound that way to you all, but I'm positive that I know what I'm talking about!"

"Alright Dusty, alright..." Samus said, calming him down. "So, Jehovah's the ultimate good, and Lucifer's the ultimate evil, that it?"  
"Yeah, that's right. You could just call 'em God and Satan if it's easier on you."  
"Sure. So anyway, we all understand that. Now let's try and tie this into the prophecy we just read. So God was saying something about how Satan would never be allowed to leave the bowels of... some place. What was it Malik? 'Ee-arth', or something along those line?"  
"Yeah, some dumb word like that."  
"Oh, Earth?" Dusty asked.

Samus gazed at him curiously. "Mmm, no, it wasn't Urrth. It was spelled E-A-R-T-H. It's different, I'm pretty sure..."  
Dusty had to laugh. "Are you SERIOUS?? You mean after all this time I've heard you talking about Earth, and you never even knew how it was spelled? Aww man, that's too funny! HA!"

"Shut up, Dusty. Seriously, what do you know about 'Earth'?"  
"Well, not much aside from the fact that I grew up there. Cool planet from what I can recall. Too many wars and fighting, though. Not a great place to make a living, know what I mean?"  
Samus's jaw hung open in complete wonder and awe. "You... grew up on Earth, too?"  
Dusty didn't seem all that surprised. "Well, it's not a huge deal. I mean, c'mon. Didn't you know? Earth is the birthplace of the human race. We're all connected to it in one way or another!"  
"What?! Nu-uh!" Malik shouted in disbelief. "That's bull, man! Stop talkin' in bull!"  
"Disbelieve me all you want, big boy," Dusty said. "You'll be eatin' those words with a shovel in due time. Trust me!"  
It was noticed that Victoria's interest was rising as well, what with all that talk of planet Earth. She remained quiet, but ever wary.

As intrigued as Samus was, she knew they needed to continue. "So God forced Satan to remain on planet Earth, but I guess God was willing to show some mercy to him for some reason..."  
"Makes sense," Dusty butt in. "Lucifer was once one of Jehovah's angels, ya know. But he turned rebellious, and Jehovah banished him to Hell. That's ultimately what made Lucifer become Satan and rule over Hell. Even so, God and Satan have always had a sort of hate-but-respect relationship."  
"Oh really? Well, that explains a lot. Anyway, God allowed Satan to create a Seed which he could send to places beyond Earth. However, Satan threatened to use the Seed to make something really bad happen..."  
"The Apocalypse?" Dusty asked with a laugh.  
"Yes! Yes, that's it! The Apocalypse! What is that?"

Dusty's smile quickly faded into perhaps the most fearful face he could wear. "Oh my God. Are... are you serious? T-the Apocalypse?"  
"Yes! That's what I'm saying! Quick, tell me! What is it?"  
Dusty swallowed a ripped off another piece of taco. "Uh, I, ummm... I-I'll explain it later. Just go on..."

Samus was hesitant to let that slip by, but she eventually nodded and continued. "Well, alright. So when God learned of Satan's plans, he warned him that he would also bear a Seed in order to counter this... Apocalypse thing."  
That word made Dusty shudder once again. Samus noticed, but went on anyway.  
"...And then Satan said something about how he'd killed God's first son in the past..."  
"Jesus Christ..." Dusty muttered under his breath.  
"So... I guess that's that. I wasn't really sure how serious this whole thing was, but... if what you're saying is true, Dusty..."  
"The success of this mission could determine the fate of the entire universe. And yes, everything I'm saying is completely true," Dusty added ominously.

"Now how 'bout those prophecies, Samus?" Malik asked. "I mean, according to the one about God's Seed, thass the one thass inside Scythe, right?"  
"We think so," Samus answered.  
"So we got the first blessing already, and the second... it was s'pposed ta be on a planet wid all dat weird stuff on it. What was it agin?"  
Samus shrugged. "I don't know. The Prophecy didn't name the planet..."  
Dusty, as usual, stepped in as the omniscient. "Well duh! Robin Williams? George W Bush? Majora's Mask? Hellooooo?? We were just talking about it! It's the only planet that makes sense!!"  
Nobody said anything. They all just stared and waited for him to speak up."_Earth_, ya bunch of Looney Toons! That's where Scythe's second blessing from Jehovah is gonna happen! EARTH!!"

Victoria suddenly dropped her spoon on her plate. She looked up at Dusty with wide eyes and an open mouth. "E-earth? That's where...?"  
"Yes, Vicki! That's where we gotta go now! Earth!"  
Victoria slowly looked down at her plate, her eyes still wide, her mind reeling with unknown thoughts.

"And for Satan's Seed...?" Samus wondered.  
"Some star, I guess," Dusty said. "That's supposed to house some of Lucifer's power, by the sound of it. If the evil Seed ever makes contact with it, that'll be the end of us all."  
"Any idea where it could be..?"

There was no more discussion for the rest of the dinner. Samus enjoyed and finished her burger. Victoria had trouble finishing her fried Jelzap. The poor girl had so much on her mind that she probably wouldn't have eaten at all had it not been for her biting hunger. Dusty, Malik, and Scythe all ended up finished their GINORMO TACO in a record time of 28:39. Surprisingly, Scythe had eaten about half of it overall. Since they ate it with hot sauce, they received their 1000-dollar prize and danced a happy dance.  
Their stomachs satisfied, it was time for them to move on, for it was now just beginning to be made clear how crucial the success of this mission would be.  
And as much as they know understood, there was still much more to learn...

Their destination?  
Planet Earth...


	6. Part 5

"Oh man... I feel like a stuffed animal. So full..."  
"I hear ya, man. I feel like Imma burst at da seams... But hey, we gots a THOUSAND dollahs! Yeeeah!"  
"Yeah, it was worth it. What can we buy with that much dough?"  
"Uhh... I dunno. Maybe 'bout 4 o' 5 tankfulls o' gasoline?"  
"...Awesome!!"

Samus, Victoria, Dusty, and Malik (With Scythe on his back) all crowded into the Gunship in order to rest off their meals. Additionally, they needed to relax their tired minds after having heard all this mumbo jumbo about God and Satan and the war between their two Seeds. It was utterly unfathomable to any of them how this conflict that they themselves were a part of could determine whether or not the very universe would continue to exist.

Samus sat in her pilot's seat and began to lift the Gunship out of the Burger Geemer's parking lot. "Aren't you all tired?" she asked. "You can go to bed if you want. I'll pilot us."  
"Well, sho' Samus, but ain't you tired also?" Malik asked, concerned.  
"No, I'll be fine, thanks. I'm used to staying up for long periods anyway. I can probably go another two days, easy."  
"Oh-ho!" Dusty mocked. "A woman that can stay up THAT long has gotta provide some advantages, eh? Ha!" He and Malik chuckled and yawned simultaneously as they walked into the berth room to go to sleep. They brought Scythe in with them.

Victoria yawned too, and groggily proceeded to follow the two. However, Samus stopped her. "Hey Victoria."  
"Hm?"  
"I needed to talk to you, remember?" The memory resurfaced in her mind at that point. She nodded quietly.  
"So, wanna have a seat and we'll talk?"  
"Sure..." Victoria replied lowly, sitting in the chair beside the pilot's seat.

Victoria tried to read Samus's expression, but it was difficult to tell whether she was angry or disappointed, or even pleased. Her face looked more blank than anything, but it was clear that there was something she desperately wanted to talk about.  
"Victoria..." she began. "Just so you know right off the bat, you're not in any trouble."  
Victoria felt surprisingly relieved. "Oh, that's good..."  
"Yeah. In fact, I'm actually in a pretty good mood at the moment. Did I ever tell you? Earth is the planet I grew up on."  
"Oh wow! Really??"  
"Yes! I can hardly remember it, but it's still there in my mind somewhere. It'll be so strange going back there again after all these years..."  
"So you're an Earth person, just like Dusty!"  
Samus laughed. "Glad to report that the similarities between Dusty and I end there!"

Samus held up her palm, indicating it was time to be serious. "In any case, I'd imagine YOU'RE in a good mood about going to Earth too, am I right?"  
Victoria's lips spread into a small smile. Indeed, she'd been keeping her joyous thoughts in the back of her head since dinner. But now that Samus was clearly poking at it, she just felt so ready to let those thoughts out. "I... I am feeling happy right now. Earth... I had no idea how much longer I was going to be able to wait just to get to go there. The one place I've been praying to go to... and it's just where we have to go!"

Seeing Victoria smile was such a rarity that when she did, it was utterly contagious. Samus couldn't help but smile in return... And it made her next words all the more painful to say. "Victoria, I understand your hopefulness at the moment, but... you do realize, we're still on duty, right? That finding Scythe's second blessing place takes top priority above all else..."  
Victoria's smile didn't fade, and instead just shook her head. "No Samus, you don't understand - finding Headshot is top priority for ME."  
"I know what you mean, Victoria. And yes, I really want to find Headshot too, but... You know the Bounty Hunter code. The current mission must come before personal objectives, and that includes yours..."  
Victoria continued smiling, just shaking her head. Samus could tell, she was in complete denial of what she was telling her. "I hate to do this to you, Victoria. Really, it kills me. If I could, I would let you go in search of Headshot on your own while Dusty, Malik, and I continued the job. The problem is, I have a feeling you may be Scythe's... guardian."  
"W-what? Me? Scythe's Guardian? What makes you think that?"  
"Well, not only you, but you're at least part of the Guardian force that's supposed to protect Scythe. Remember that part of the Prophecy? The Guardian of strong arm, raven hair, and stache? Well, I'm not sure why, but I have a feeling that the 'raven hair' bit may very well refer to you..."  
Victoria was now no longer smiling. In fact was beginning to look quite upset. "S-so... what are you saying? That I can't-?"  
Samus sighed heavily. "I... I'm afraid I won't allow you to leave the group until Scythe gets his second blessing..."

Samus gauged Victoria's reaction to her last statement, and it wasn't pretty. Victoria's expression went from a hopeful smile to a glare of disappointment, anger, sorrow, and every other negative emotion in record time.  
Samus did her best to lighten the dark situation. "But rest assured, the VERY second that's done, you can proceed with your search for Headshot. And I, personally, will see to it that nobody interrupts or tries to stop you. You will have all the time and freedom you need to find him. I promise."  
However, Victoria still looked very, very displeased. "...So I can't go look for my own father just because of what you believe this prophecy says?"

Samus's jaw dropped open slightly. Had Victoria just said...??  
"Yeah, I've got raven hair! So what? So does Dusty! Maybe the entire prophecy refers to him! He's got strong arms and a mustache, too! See? That's MY interpretation of that prophecy! Oh, but I guess YOUR interpretation is the only one that could possibly make any sense, because your Samus Aran, and you're ALWAYS right! Is that it?! Huh? IS THAT IT?!"  
Samus was still slightly in a state of shock from Victoria's previous remark. "You... You're Headshot's daughter...?"  
"YES!!" Victoria practically screamed. "Didn't I make that clear?!" She stood up and loomed over Samus, and as cute as she was, in all her frustration and fury, she did look quite intimidating.  
"I... I'm sorry. I didn't realize," Samus confessed. "I'd known Headshot had a daughter, but..."  
"Yeah, it's me. And I'm not gonna let anybody or anything stop me from looking for my dad! Not some stupid prophecy, not some stupid Apocalypse, and sure as hell not YOU!"

Victoria's teeth were clenched so tightly it was a wonder they hadn't broken under the pressure. Her entire body was trembling, and her eyes were wild with conflicting emotions.  
In her entire life, Samus had never been more taken off guard than she did at that moment. All she could do was hold out her palms in defense. "Victoria, please. Settle down. I think you're severely overreacting to what I'm trying to say..."  
"Oh, am I?!"  
"Yes, you are! You mean to tell me that you honestly can't wait any longer? That you'll go mad with waiting if you just decide to finish the mission first?"

Victoria's fury was now beginning to seep out in the form on teardrops from her eyes. She took a quivered deep breath and choked her sadness back. "...You have no idea how it's been for me, Samus. Four months ago, my dad went missing. You know how hard it is to have your only living parent just disappear for no reason?! Every waking and sleeping second of my life, my anxiety just multiplies and multiplies... Wondering whether or not he's alive or dead... It's been torture! Complete and utter torture, Samus! The whole reason I even enrolled to become a Bounty Hunter was for this reason!!"  
She swallowed, hardly able to keep it all in any longer.  
"...I'm only 20 years old, Samus... I still need him. He's all the family I have left. My mom's dead, both of my brothers are dead... If I lose my dad, I swear to you, I will die. I will cry out all the water in my body and die. There's no way I can live like this any longer. I need to know whether or not he's OK. I'm not gonna let him go, if there's anything I can do about it!"  
Victoria flashed Samus a look full of daggers. "...And I'm not letting you take my chance away from me! UNDERSTAND?!"  
Even if Samus had been given a chance to answer, she wouldn't have been sure what to say. Victoria immediately stormed through the berth room door and was out of sight.

Samus's mind had become a roaring, black ocean of thoughts and conflicts. It swirled around in her skull like a black hole, threatening to tear her apart from the inside.  
At last, her first thought came into fruition, and would be followed by many more...  
Victoria was only 20? She'd said before that she was 21. In fact, 21 was the minimum age required to even become a Bounty Hunter. Victoria had snuck into the academy underaged...  
And she'd done it only to save her father.

Her father... Samus's head could still not get around this. Headshot and Victoria... family? But how? Samus had never met Headshot, but from what she'd heard, he was a legendary Hunter, among the highest-ranked in the Federation. To bear such a soft and weak daughter as Victoria... it was unfathomable.  
And yet, Samus had to admit that, while Victoria was a bit of a spaz at times, she did have a lot of courage. It must have taken guts to do what she did, just to save the only surviving member of her family...

Her head now beginning to ache, Samus groaned and rubbed her forehead. This was going to be a long trip for her...

* * *

"Let's see. Go east from the Beta Quadrant, up from Zebes, down-southeast from Sector Z... Milky Way Galaxy..."  
The maps of the universe that Samus had brought out to help her locate Earth were humongous, easily 10 feet by 10 feet each, with all the planets and stars packed so closely together that it was difficult to tell which was which. They almost looked like huge papers sprinkled with confetti rather than maps. Ironically, even all these maps as a set barely covered a billionth of a billionth the entire universe. Not even close to that. The concept made Samus's head spin. Thank goodness she'd at least found the galaxy where Earth was supposed to be...

Earth...  
She could recall those carefree days of her infant years on the lovely green planet...

It was a primitive world, to be certain, but it was pure. The memories... they were foggy, and yet, so vivid and clear at the same time. She could remember taking her first steps there, and later in her years strolling effortlessly through the grassy fields with wildflowers aplenty. She could see a sort of play area, composed of blue and yellow poles. She would sit on one of the swings, but would not swing on it. She would just wait. Wait for some little boys her age to try and act like gentlemen, and push the swing for her. This memory made Samus chuckle to herself. Was she really that much of a little queen when was younger?  
And she could remember the first word she ever spoke...  
"Shoe."  
Yes, 'shoe' was her first word. Nothing spectacular, but did it ever make her parents proud and shower her with praise.

Her mother...  
A beautiful woman, with eyes as blue as tropical ocean, and hair so fair and blonde it would make the sun bow down. It was almost frightening how much Samus realized she herself looked like her. A rather hard woman, who insisted on treating Samus like the adult she would soon be, but tender and loving nonetheless.  
Her father...  
Samus couldn't make out his face quite as clearly, perhaps because he wasn't around as often. And yet, her mind's eyes could still see that combed mop of brown hair and the wild blue eyes he possessed. A very easy-going man, very serious about his work, whatever it was, and at the same time also very serious about giving his baby girl as much love as he could in the time that was given to him.  
Yes, life was beautiful on planet Earth. A sheltered, safe, carefree existence. Perhaps it was the innocence of her youth that made her perceive that world as the perfect place. Regardless, to her, it was perfect. And if she had had any control over her fate, she would have chosen, in a heartbeat, to spend her entire existence there until the end of her days...

However, her fate was something she could have never altered even if she'd wished. She could hear the anticipation in her parents' voices, that terrible things were coming their way. That Earth colony K-2L was without hope, and that all who lived there were doomed to be held prisoner or die. Her mother knelt down in front of her, placed a hand on her shoulder, and promised that everything was going to be OK again. And then her father's voice warning that he could see them approaching in droves, that nothing could be done to escape or fight back.  
Bombs and gunshots everywhere. The sight of her father running aboard an escaping frigate, only to see it explode to pieces minutes later. And her mother's cries as she was dragged mercilessly across the field and into the dark horizon, never to be seen again. The darkness of the night, swallowing her whole, erasing her existence from the universe...  
God only knows how Samus had been able to evade the pursuit of her captors. The captors of her mother, and the killers of her father. All she could recall was running. Running like the wind was grabbing at her. Trees and tall bushes, blazing by her vision. Running, running, running... Not stopping until the only sound was the sound of her own heavy breathing and wails of anguish, crying out for her loving parents.

The Space Pirates transformed the colony of K-2L into a base of operations in a frightfully short time. They sought for the world to conform to their ideals, to turn all peace-ridden areas into industrious plants for their own gain, because they seemingly found peace intolerable. She watched from afar as their armies changed the very land they tread upon, as though with dark magic. And the rage flared within her youthful heart. So young to feel such hate... And yet, feel it she did. She knew she would have her revenge one day in the future. It wasn't something she hoped for, or prayed would happen. She KNEW, right then and there, that the day would come when these devilish beasts would beg for mercy at her feet...

Not much else came clear after those events. The Chozo descended upon her while she slept one night. They appeared in her dreams, analyzing her, deciding whether or not she was worthy of their time and care. Evidently, they saw something truly magnificent her young self, for they became her saviors, whisking her away from the horror of her old home, and inviting her to the splendor of their own. And it was from that moment on that her life began to build up and grow into what it was at that very moment...

"There..." Samus whispered under her breath. She pointed at a small, utterly insignificant-looking planet within a relatively small cluster of stars called the Milky Way. Printed in nigh microscopic letters, was spelled the word, 'Urrth.'  
"Hmm..." Samus thought aloud. "We're going to have to change that..."

All these recollections of her short, wonderful, haunting time on this planet... It was like a buoy, long anchored in the depths of the ocean, suddenly being freed and bursting forth through the surface. She was only 3 years old the day the Chozo rescued her from her dire childhood.  
And now, at 27, she was finally going to return to the world that bore her.  
The story of every human life must begin somewhere. The beginning of the journey of her life was Earth.  
And perhaps the end, as well...  
As Samus prepared the 4D Splitter to open a rift to the proper location, she could feel the hot tears rising up from the bottoms of her eyes.

A sound then reached her ears... The sound of a door opening and shutting from behind.  
Was someone coming out of the berth room? But they were all asleep in there, weren't they? What could any of them want?  
She didn't have time to think, nor to even turn around. A blunt force struck hard on the back of her unprotected head, pounding her skull. Her vision faded to black, and her consciousness all but left her...

* * *

In the blackness of her vision, there was silence. Goodness knows how long the dark and quiet ensued. However, the silence slowly began to break. A very faint, high-pitched noise could be heard, seemingly from very, very far away. From the moment it could first be heard, it began to grow increasingly louder. The source of the noise, coming closer, and closer, and closer...  
A siren. A warning siren.  
Before long it was screaming in her ears, shattering her state of mind and challenging her sanity...

Samus awoke with a start on the cockpit floor. The warning siren blared from overhead, filling With room With flashes of red. She sat up, but was quickly brought back down by a gnawing pain in the back of her head. She felt with her fingers, a bump half the size of an egg. Something had really hit her hard, and her body was reacting fiercely.

Her main concern, though, was the warning siren. What was causing it to go off? Unable to lift herself off the floor, she had to observe her surroundings from down there. The only thing she really observed was a brilliant orange light shining through the windshield and flooding the cockpit, and glowing brighter each passing moment. She then glanced at her control panel, where a single overactive gauge caught her eye. Her vision blurry and out of focus, she strained to see...  
It was the temperature gauge. And the numbers were rising at an alarming rate. It was then that Samus felt it herself. It was like a bonfire was being fed right on top of her, and growing hotter as the numbers rose.

Samus now knew that something was very, very wrong, and if she didn't get up and try to do something about it, it could be the end. What were her teammates doing during such an emergency? Were they still sleeping? But how could they, what with that alarm wailing so loudly? Perhaps they were awake, but believed Samus would save them. The thought didn't surprise her. She had to do everything for them, it seemed...  
Fighting the aches in her head and upper body, Samus grunted and rose to a sitting position. A dizzy spell spun her head slightly, but it wasn't long before she was up on her feet. Even in her disoriented state, she was able to look out the windshield and see it...  
An enormous mass of leaping, burning flames, zooming straight for the ship!  
Samus gasped and nearly stumbled. The heat was exhausting and was sapping her energy fast. Unless she acted quick, the ship and the fire would meet in less than a minute.

Giving the control panel another sweep, Samus realized the Autopilot was switched ON. In a mad dash for the control, she stumbled, but managed to switch it off. However, inertia kept the Gunship moving forward, and if Samus didn't know any better, she would say that the wall of fire was moving towards HER, as well...  
Samus's eyes went wide when she found her prediction to be not only accurate, but also horribly understated. As it advanced, the mass of embers was actually molding itself into a huge shape...  
The shape of a humongous, horned face. It's maw opened wide, intent upon swallowing the Gunship whole!

Samus didn't have time to turn away, or throw the ship into reverse, or otherwise escape their doom. She knew they had, at most, three seconds to live...  
But thankfully, an idea sparked at that very moment.  
The 4D Splitter... It's coordinates were still set for arrival at Earth.  
Three seconds might be just enough time.

With a scream, Samus leapt for the 4D Splitter, her fist high in the air. The fiery demon's mouth was so close, and yet so was salvation. Every millisecond counted. Which would be reached first?  
Samus's daring leap fell two feet short, but her fist stretched forth and kept falling...  
The bow of the ship had already entered the beast's hungry maw...  
She slammed the 4D Splitter's power button, causing it to flash and power up...  
The churning, fiery innards of the monster could be seen and felt through the windshield...  
Deep within its throat, a purple opening was splitting open. The Gunship sailed through just as it grew wide enough. The passageway to the stomach, to certain death...  
Samus collapsed on the floor after her leap. She could no longer see through the window. If death was eminent, she wouldn't see it coming. And so, she braced herself, and prepared for the burning sensation of life's end...

However, as Samus lay on the floor, a sensation she hadn't fully expected swept over her...

The heat. In an instant, it had disappeared. All but gone, in a single second! The rapid temperature drop was so jarring, Samus felt sure that was going to freeze to death. After a minute or so, she finally realized it was room temperature once more.  
Had she really...? Even though they were already all up inside in the creature's mouth? Seriously...??  
Filled with hope, Samus scrambled to her feet and gazed out the windshield.  
There was no more heaping wall of fire. What instead filled the window was a gorgeous blue and green planet, covered in white clouds.

"Yes!" Samus almost shouted to herself. "Oh thank God, yes!"

As relieved as Samus felt, she couldn't help but feel very, very disturbed at the same time. Her memory slowly coming back, she remembered being struck in the back of the head by something. Or someone...  
And not only that, someone had also put the Gunship in Autopilot while she was unconscious and deliberately put them on a collision course with that awful fiery monster.  
One of her team members...?

Samus turned around in a huff and opened the door to the berth room. She threw her helmet on and inspected the room with her Thermal Visor equipped. Malik, Dusty, Victoria, and Scythe were all sound asleep, as they had been before. Or at least, they appeared to be. Samus had an awful feeling that at least one of them was secretly awake, and plotting against her. Her and the honest members of the team. Against the mission itself...

But who...?

Knowing better than to jump to conclusions, Samus shut the door and got into the pilot's seat. She had to face the fact that there was a traitor amongst them. Perhaps even more than one. All of them, even...  
But if she were to apprehend who it was, then Earth was the ideal place for it to happen.  
Earth... how the wonderful planet ahead beckoned her so...

Without a another thought, Samus kicked the ship into high gear and sped towards the world ahead, knowing full well that it might be her final destination...

* * *

Entering Earth's atmosphere had been a bumpy trip, and quite a hot one to boot. Not as hot as the fire monster had been, but it reminded Samus of it nonetheless. The planet was actually very large - much larger than Blobsoh VII had been. Much larger than Tallon IV and Aether put together, even. How was she to find a single temple amidst this massive world?

Samus steered the Gunship towards a large green landmass that appeared to cover almost half the planet, at least from the side she was looking at. The blue, she imagined, was ocean, and she didn't want to land there. She aimed as much towards the center of the land as she could. Hopefully she would land somewhere safe...

Five minutes later, the Gunship and the ground finally met. Samus was slightly disappointed to find she'd landed in a rather dry desert as opposed to somewhere green. From above, the entire landmass had looked green. Oh well. Whatever this area was, it would have to do.  
Samus gazed out the windshield and out into the barren, rocky plains that stretched before her vision. This wasn't at all what she remembered. No... Her memories of Earth were filled With green, grassy fields. This place clogged with dust and dirt, was not her home. Her old home...  
It was then that it hit her - she had no idea where on Earth she had grown up. The planet was enormous, likely supporting hundreds, if not thousands, of different biomes and environments. Plus, she was raised in a mining town, but in this area, there didn't seem to be any civilization at all...

Forcing her disappointment down, Samus knew this mission had to start somewhere. She reached for the microphone next to her and spoke into it. Her voice exploded from the loudspeaker.  
"Wake up, people. We've made landfall on Earth. Repeat, we've reached Earth, so WAKE UP."

A few moments later, the berth room door opened, and out walked Dusty. "Geez, Samus! That stupid speaker was right next to my freakin' head! Gawd, thought my ears were gonna die of abuse."  
"Good morning to you too, Dusty. Did you sleep well?"  
"Meh, I guess. Had the weirdest dream, but I'll bore you with that later. So what's that you said?"  
"We've made it to Earth."  
"Wha-? Still a little deaf."  
"We've REACHED EARTH!!"  
"O RLY?? Snap, lemme see!"

Dusty excitedly ran up to the windshield and peered out. His face quickly drooped into one of disappointment. "Wow, where the bloody heck did you land us? Pakistan?"  
"I don't know. Does... that place look like this?"  
"Wide deserted wasteland with nothing but sand and tiny rocks? Yeah, fits the bill."  
"Oh, well... Sorry if this isn't where we're supposed to be, oh Mr Know-It-All. Pray tell, where on this huge planet would we find Scythe's blessing place? Hm?"  
"Well, if I HAD to guess, I'd say we go to the Vatican."  
"The where?"  
"Vatican City! You know, where the Roman Catholic Church is? Where the POPE lives?"  
"What about poop?"  
"Whoa! Hey now, that's not cool."  
"I was just repeating what you sai-"  
"No, Samus. The Pope is not feces. He's the holiest man on the planet, supposedly closer to God than any other man on Earth. If anyone knows how to get somebody blessed, it would be that guy."  
"Oh, alright. Whatever you say."  
"Darn right, whatever I say! Ain't you lucky to have me along?"  
"Umm... Well... Give me some time to think that one through. In any case, we should go try to meet this 'Pope' person. Where is he again?"  
"The Vatican. West from here. A looong way west. Tell you what. I'LL drive, how's that?"  
"No."  
"Aww, c'mon Samus! You're tired and need your beauty rest! Not that you NEED it, but-"  
"Oh please. Don't try to flatter me. How about I let you navigate?"  
"Does that mean I get to drive?!"  
"No, it means you get to NAVIGATE!"  
"Huh? Oh, that's cool, I guess."  
"Good. Are the others awake yet??"

As if on cue, Malik came rolling out With Scythe on his back. He yawned and stretched, and Scythe did the same.  
"Yo Samus?" Malik asked, "You said we made it ta Earth?"  
"Yes, we made it. Unfortunately, Mr Smartass over here seems to think we're in the wrong region."  
Dusty grinned. "Hey, being a smartass is a lot better than being a dumbass!"  
Samus just shook her head and sighed. Malik looked out the windshield. "Dis is Earth? Uhh, looks kinda dead... Maybe Dusty's right, Samus. Maybe we is in the wrong place o' somethin'..."  
"I already said Dusty will lead us to where he thinks we have to go," Samus grunted.

Victoria was the last to appear from the berth room. She had a look of determination that hadn't been seen before.  
"Hey Vicki, doll! Top o' the morning!" Dusty greeted. She hardly acknowledged him. She ran over to the windshield and gazed out into the desert land.  
"Earth..." she muttered under her breath.  
The look on her face as she stared out that window... Looking for someone, no doubt. And who that someone was, of that there was no doubt, either...

"Victoria..." Samus told her. "Victoria? Are you listening?"  
Victoria simply nodded without speaking.  
"Good. Listen... I've thought about the things you said last night, and about the mission at hand, and about how I can make everything work out. But the fact is, Victoria, they can't... they just can't. I know how upset you will be to hear what I'm about to say, so please... be strong and do your best to understand - I cannot allow you to look for Headshot until Scythe gets his second blessing. Is that clear?"  
Victoria didn't look at Samus. She just kept her eyes fixed on the scenery out the window.  
Dusty and Malik both glanced at one another seriously, as though they knew everything that was going on and were concerned about how it was going to play out.

Much to everyone's surprise, Victoria closed her eyes and lowered her head slowly. And in a confident tone, said, "...I know. It's OK, Samus. I can wait." She then turned to Samus with a faint smile. "It's fine. I understand..."  
Samus had to let the shock of Victoria's calm reaction settle in for a moment or two. "Well, umm... that's great! Really! Now, I promise we'll get this done as quickly as possible so you can get on with your search. And I won't let anybody try to stop you. Alright?"  
Victoria nodded. "Alright. Thank you."  
Both Dusty and Malik appeared to be relieved. Even Scythe reacted with a joyful coo. Samus seemed confused by their reactions. "Wait a minute. You boys knew Victoria was looking for Headshot?"

"I told them about it last night," Victoria answered for them. "So yeah, everyone knows now... But it doesn't matter. Don't we have a mission to finish?"  
Samus nodded in approval. "OK then, let's get to work! Dusty, get over here and help me navigate. Malik, Victoria, you two keep an eye out for anything that may help us!"  
With a salute from everyone, they all got into their posts. Samus lifted the Gunship off the ground and began to fly west across the desert.

* * *

With Dusty leading the way, the Gunship passed over several miles of snowy mountains, a jungle, some more desert, part of a large sea, and eventually to the site where Dusty claimed to be the Vatican. Strangely enough, neither Malik nor Victoria had noticed any civilization as they flew. Considering the flight took well over an hour, it was hard to believe. If Earth was supposedly the birthplace of the human race, where were all the humans...?  
"Alright," Dusty ordered, "Lower down into the grassy area here. The Vatican is a very, very sacred place. I don't think the people there would much appreciate us parking the Gunship there. Or at least the parking wouldn't be free."  
"Thanks for the tip. But... are you sure this is the place? It doesn't look very magnificent."  
"You'll be surprised, Samus. Trust me, you'll be surprised..."

Samus opened the upper hatch and gracefully leapt from the Gunship onto the soft grass. This was her first step on Earthen grass in 24 years. The area she was in wasn't at all familiar to her, but it felt strangely nostalgic nonetheless.  
Past a thin veil of trees, she could make out a large building. A building of various shades of white and gold, topped with a large, magnificent dome. The Roman Catholic Church of the Vatican? Home of the Pope? It certainly looked to be a contender...

The next thing Samus knew, Malik came rolling up to her left side, with Scythe on his back.  
"Ooo!" Malik exclaimed, pointing. "Is dat the temple we's goin' to?"  
Samus shrugged. "According to Dusty, and he's the best lead we have..."  
"Looks purty nice, but Samus... I still don't see nobody heah. I mean, I'd expect that in a wild, nature-y sorta place like Blobsoh VII, but... dere's actually buildins an' stuff, but no people ta actually use 'em."  
"I know. It's strange. When I lived here, everyone always seemed to be outdoors... What could have happened?"  
"I dunno. I say we give dis place da benefit o' the doubt and assume everyone's inside deir houses."  
"I guess it's all we can do. I'm just worried... What if this isn't the right place? What would happen then? How could we possibly ever find one temple on this humongous planet?"  
Malik placed one of his massive hands on her shoulder. "Dun worry, Samus. We made it dis far, right? We'll figger it out! 'Sides, yo Samus ARAN, girl! You kin do anythang!"  
Samus had to smile. "Thanks, Malik."

Dusty and Victoria came bounding over simultaneously. Victoria was having trouble walking upright, and Dusty was struggling to keep her on her feet. He had a worried expression and was speaking into her ear. Whether or not she heard him was unknown. When the two finally reached Samus, Dusty reported the news.  
"Samus, I think... I think Vicki's feeling a bit under the weather. I've tried asking if she's OK, but it's like she can't even hear me..."  
Samus put her hands on her hips. "Oh, really?"  
"Yeah. Just look at her! She can barely stand up!"  
Victoria hesitantly looked up. Her face was deathly pale and her jaw was lazy. Not a second later, she slumped over again, unable to support herself.  
Samus, however, didn't flinch. "Dusty, let her go. She doesn't need your help."  
"But Samus, she's seriously losing it! Can't you see-?"  
"I said let her go."  
Dusty was reluctant, not at all sure what Samus was trying to imply. After some time, he looked at her sternly and shook his head.

Samus sighed and stepped over. "Victoria?"  
Victoria didn't look up.  
"Victoria?!"  
She remained hunched over."Victoria!!"  
Samus grabbed her by the chin and pulled her head up for her. Victoria looked Samus in the face, surprised.  
"Listen to me. I'm not gonna play games With you. You expect me to believe that you suddenly became so ill during just an hour-long flight? You think I'm gonna pity you enough to let you stay here, just to have to run off and look for Headshot behind my back? I don't think so. Nice try, but it's not going to work."  
Victoria hardly seemed to react. She merely opened her mouth and uttered, "...What?"  
Samus could feel herself starting to become angry. "What did I say, Victoria?! I'm NOT going to play games with you!!"

Dusty defensively pulled Victoria back a few steps. "Samus, what's your problem?! Go easy on her! She's sick!"  
"Yeah Samus," Malik agreed. "I dunno what yo playin' at, but she don't look too good..."  
Samus ignored the two boys. "Victoria, stop pretending and just grow up already! I don't care how much your daddy babied you! You're under my supervision now, and you'll do what I say! Got it?!"  
Again, Victoria reacted rather strangely. She didn't seem to respond to Samus's words at all. If anything, all she acted like she saw was Samus's angry face, shouting at her. Frightened, but by no means ready to argue.  
"Well, are you gonna say something? If not, you're coming with us whether you're healthy or not!"  
Victoria shook her head slowly, and opened her mouth for another statement.  
"I... I can't hear you..."  
Samus cocked her head to the side. "What?!"  
"I..." Victoria stuttered. "I... can't hear... anything..."

For but a moment, Samus had to think hard about whether or not she believed what Victoria was telling her. She couldn't hear anything? She'd gone deaf? In such a short time, seemingly from out of the blue? It was highly improbable, but Victoria's manner said otherwise. Either she was telling the truth, or was really just a talented actress who wanted to get on with her personal journey sooner...  
Samus eventually decided it was the latter. With a groan, she simply turned around and began to walk. "We don't have time for this. We're all going. Dusty, Malik, make sure Victoria doesn't get out of your site. ESPECIALLY you, Dusty! I know you have feelings for her, but it'd be best for you not to let her sneak away. Understood?"

As Samus walked off, Dusty and Malik both looked at Victoria. It really did look like something awful was going on inside of her. After all, one can't act out such a pale face. Regardless, they couldn't disobey Samus...  
"Iss all good, man," Malik told Dusty. "I kin carry Victoria on meh back, if ya want. An' you kin carry Scythe. Dat sound cool?"  
"Yeah. Good thinkin', bro."  
With a bit of difficulty, the two eventually made their exchange. Dusty didn't give up Victoria, though, without first running his hand through her hair and telling her she was going to be OK. She couldn't hear him, it seemed, but she acknowledged his concern nonetheless. That done, the four made haste to catch up to Samus. Even if they didn't know it, time was running frighteningly short for all of them...

* * *

"So this is the Vatican?"  
"Yep, this is the place. Neat, huh?"  
"Well, I've seen neater, but I guess so. Shall we go inside?"  
"Ugh, Samus, c'mon! You think we can just waltz into the Vatican? That we can just walk up to the Pope and be like, 'Yo, wassup my home dawg? Whass crackalackin'?' No, we can't just do that!"  
"Well why not?"  
"Because... Because it's the freakin' ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, and he's the freakin' POPE!"

"...And?"  
"Oh... fine! We'll do it your way. But don't blame me if they crucify us for barging into the House of God unannounced!"

Malik, with Victoria still hitching on his back, made his way up the wheelchair ramp to the large double doors. Seeing how formal Dusty made the place out to be, he knocked a few times. "Hello?? Anybody in dere? We come ta ask da Pope a couple o' questions, if iss a'ight wid him."  
Nobody answered. The entire building was gravely silent. No human activity could be heard from within or anywhere around.  
Dusty was very confused by this. "Weird... This place used to get so much tourism back in the day. Wonder what's going on? Under new management, maybe?"  
"I don't care what it's under. We're going in," Samus said. She grabbed the door handles and pushed them inwards, revealing the church's grand interior. She began to walk in, with Malik and Victoria following close behind. Dusty would have tried to stop them, but decided it was futile, and hoped only for the best. With a sigh, he looked up at Scythe, who was staring blankly ahead.  
"Well little buddy, we're gonna get your second blessing now! And the awesome Pope's gonna do it for ya! You excited? Huh?"  
Scythe remained still, his expression blank, as Dusty strolled through the church doors...

The interior of the Roman Catholic Church was breathtaking, even if it was rather worn. Upon entering, a gorgeous spiral staircase wound up above all their heads. A velvet hallway ahead branched off in three different directions. Such an enormous building! Where could they possibly find any clues?  
"The Pope's gotta be in the Gathering Hall. I dunno this place well, but it takes up probably half the whole building. Shouldn't be tough to find," Dusty mused.  
"Oh, really? OK then. Which way should we go?" Samus question.  
"Feh, I'm sure every 'way' leads there. I dunno about you guys, but I'm takin' the easy route and going down the hallway. The stairs look too... stupid."  
"I heard dat, bro. I can't even get up no stairs wid dese damn wheels, not to mention Victoria on my back. Hey, Victoria? You hearin' OK yet?"  
Victoria didn't answer. Malik sighed, knowing what that meant.  
"OK, it IS best if we all stick together," Samus agreed. "Let's go."

The team began to traverse the dreary hallway ahead. The only light available was coming from a few windows in other rooms, making the hallway itself quite dim. There were unlit torches along the walls, but they probably hadn't been used in ages. Additionally, some strange scratch marks could be seen on one wall, while another spot appeared to have been shot through several times with a gun. What had happened in this place?  
As the team treaded on, Samus decided, in secret, to make a short list of questions that needed answering. Using the hardware in her helmet, she constructed the list so that the words may appear on her HUD, lest she forget anything important. The list went as follows:

--

_1. Is the Seed within Scythe's body that of Jehovah or that of Lucifer? Where is the other one? If we have the Evil Seed, what good will it do if it receives the Good Seed's blessings?  
_

_2. The Seedling Prophecy describes the 'Guardian' as a force with 'strong arm, raven hair, and stache'. Malik, Victoria, and Dusty? If so, what is my role in this Prophecy, if I even have one? Am I even needed for this mission to succeed?_

3. There was insufficient disk space on the floppy disk containing the Prophecy. Could this mean there is more of it that we haven't read yet? If so, where could the remainder be?

4. The evil broadcast... Where did it come from, and what was it's true meaning? Why did Mr Vapor, among others, get hurt or killed by it? Why did Victoria, Dusty, and Scythe survive? How exactly was Scythe effected by it?

5. Is there any significance to the story of the four Hunters who were killed at Old Major?

6. Who knocked me out and set us on a collision course with that fiery beast? What was that beast? What motives could the culprit possibly have for doing such a thing?

7. Is Victoria being honest about her sickness? If so, what could have caused it?

8. What has happened to Earth in such a short time that there doesn't seem to be anyone else here? Does the fact that Scythe's second blessing place is here have any relevance?

9. Is Headshot's presence on Earth coincidence? Is Victoria being his daughter coincidence? Is he still alive?

--

Feeling content with this collection of questions, Samus nodded and left it at that. But that contentment wasn't to last, for it only now really dawned on her how much she and her team had yet to understand. And goodness knew how much time they had to make themselves understand...  
In the midst of her thinking, she could hear her teammates behind her making silent conversation...

"Hey Scythe, little man!" Dusty whispered. "Your second blessing from your old man! That makes you happy, don't it? Huh?"  
Scythe remained completely quiet, which was odd. Back on Blobsoh VII, he couldn't sit still when they were inside the temple there. Now he refused to even make a sound. What could this mean?  
"Hey, Malik? Since Vicki's deaf and all, think now I can work up the courage to tell her that I really, really like her?"  
"Dawg, if ya have ta tell her when she's DEAF, how you ever gonna tell her when she AIN'T deaf no mo'?"  
"Pfft! How should I know? How do we know she'll ever get her hearing back?"  
"We don't, man. I can't even tell wass wrong wid her. Sorry man, but I doubt she's evah gonna hear you say dose words."  
"Aw, no..."

"Dun worry, homie! You can show yo affection widout her hearin' ya. Iss all in da ACTIONS, ya heard?"  
"I know, but... still. I wanted her to HEAR it, you know? Aww... I should've told her while I had the chance..."

A short silence. Dusty looked over at Victoria.  
"Victoria, I... you're... really pretty."  
"I-I'm sorry, Dusty? I can't..."  
"I know, I know. You can't hear. I'm sorry."

"Well, ya tried, dawg. Ya tried," Malik assured him.  
"Gah! I'm such a loser! Even when she's deaf, I STILL can't tell her the truth about how I feel! Doh, I need guidance from above..."  
"How 'bout from a proud black man on wheels?"  
"Forget it, fat cheeks. This is between me, God, and Victoria."  
"Umm... are you two talking about me?" Victoria asked weakly.

Samus didn't bother listening to the rest. The massive room that spread before her stole her attention. It must have been none other than the Gathering Hall that Dusty spoke of.  
At least five stories tall, it was lined with velvet seats on every and all levels, like an old-fashioned theater, but of a much higher order. Who sat in these seats, Samus wondered? They were all unoccupied, facing a single throne that stood against a wall of gorgeous stained-glass windows.  
With the exception of a black, hard-cover book, the throne was empty.  
Dusty's face was struck with disbelief and shock. The shock then slowly, but surely, morphed into utter grief and loss.  
"The Pope..." he quivered. "The Holy Father... w-where is he? He has to be... I mean, there's no way he can... What happened here?!" He ran, almost in tears up to the altar and towards the broken, cobweb-littered throne.

"Dusty..." Samus said. "I don't see any Pope here. What's he supposed to look like?"  
Dusty had taken Scythe off his back and allowed him to sit down. Dusty himself was knelt down in front of the decorated seat, barely able to speak clearly through his pants. "...He's... r-really old... and... and covered in... l-liver spots, and... where is he...?"  
"I don't know, Dusty! You tell me! You're the one who said he would be here! YOU'RE the one who said he would know how to get Scythe his second blessing! Well, as I'm sure you can now tell, he's not here! NO ONE is here! So what do you expect us to do now, huh? WHAT?!"  
Dusty didn't answer right away. with a shaky hand, he reached for the black book on the seat, and examined the cover...  
And his grief-stricken features suddenly glowed with hope.  
"Samus! Samus, c'mere! Quick!"

Sighing in frustration, Samus walked over and knelt down beside Dusty and his book. "What is it now?! It'd better be something useful."  
"It's a copy of the Old Testament!" Dusty exclaimed, showing it off to her. "The POPE'S copy! Don't you realize what this means?"  
Samus just stared at him, waiting to hear the rest.  
"This copy is untapped! Unaltered! Not like the crappy, revised versions we got in church. Naw, this is the original material! And THAT means..."  
He leaned in close. "...The Seedling Prophecy. The whole thing, RIGHT here, baby!!"

Samus's interest piqued immediately. Not even a minute ago, she'd questioned where the remainder of the Prophecy might be. And now, if what Dusty said was true, it was right there in his very hands... Who knows what answers they would obtain if they could read the entire passage as it was meant to be read?  
Perhaps The Pope had done his part in aiding the mission after all. Wherever he had gone...  
Perhaps. They still had to see for themselves.

Dusty parted the book and flipped through all the crusty pages. There must have been thousands. "Geez, I'd forgotten how bloody thick this book is."  
"Oh my..." Samus moaned. "How are we ever gonna find one prophecy in this huge thing? Is there a table of contents?"  
"It's the _Bible_, Samus! The word 'content' probably didn't even exist back then."  
"Well then how the heck can we possibly hope to find-"  
"Found it!"  
"What?!"  
"I said, 'Found it'!'"  
"OK, meaning... what?"  
"Meaning... 'Found it'!!"  
"You can't be serious."  
"I hear that too often. Have a look!"  
Dusty showed Samus the open page. Labeled at the top was the title:

_**THE SEEDLING PROPHECY**_

"Wow, OK... Just, wow," Samus gasped. "How did you do that?"  
"Who cares? I got us to the right page! So, shall we start readin'?"  
"Uh, y-Yes! Of course!"  
And so, Samus and Dusty began to read through the material, starting fresh over from the beginning. It was best to be reminded of old so as to better flow with the new...  
A sudden cry of mercy from Malik made them both jump.  
"H-hey! HEY! AAGGHHH!! OH shit!! Git offa me! HELP MEH!!"

Samus whirled around and readied her Power Beam._ "Space Pirates!" _the words repeated in her head. Her first instinct was that they had tracked her position and were hellbent on exacting their revenge and taking back the Seed. She was more ready now than ever to pump them full of energy blasts.  
The threat then entered Samus's vision...  
And she halted, confused and instantly worried.

Malik's attacker wasn't a gang of Space Pirates. It was Victoria! Snarling animal sounds escaped her throat as she clawed savagely at his face and neck with her fingernails. Malik wailed in anguish, deathly afraid. He didn't want to hurt her, but she was attacking him like a rabid beast! And she couldn't hear his pleading cries!

The initial shock subsiding, Samus ran forth with her left arm outstretched. When she was within range, she fired her Grapple Beam at the back of Victoria's suit, and when it stuck, retracted. Victoria's sharp grip shredded Malik's neck badly when she was pulled off. The force of the pull threw Victoria onto the floor, causing her to squirm about like an injured animal. Samus quickly leapt over, stomped down on her chest, and aimed her Power Beam directly at Victoria's forehead. "Victoria!" she ordered. "Control yourself, now! Or I'll shoot!"  
"No!" Malik shouted, holding one hand in the air and the other on his neck. "Dun shoot her, Samus!"  
"What the heck's happening to her??" Dusty asked worriedly, clutching the Bible as though protecting it.  
Scythe did not take his eyes off Victoria, and continued to sit in eerie silence.

Victoria continued to hiss and struggle under Samus's boot, murder in her crazed, bloodshot eyes.  
"Victoria! Do NOT make me shoot! Whatever it is, fight it!!" She brought the gun closer to Victoria's face, figuring that, even if she couldn't hear, she would hopefully still get the message.  
However, she did not. With strength unbeknownst to any of them, she grabbed Samus's ankle, and flung her off with a roar. While in midair, Samus changed into her Morph Ball and landed, proceeding to try and roll to safety. Victoria leapt to her feet and mad a mad dash for the Morph Ball, eventually grabbing it and clutching it in her hands. Acting quickly, Samus sprang back into bipedal form and, going solely by her survival instincts, gave Victoria a sharp kick to the chest.  
Victoria was thrown to the ground once again, her face planted on the ground.  
And this time, she did not get up.

Samus stood in one spot for a long time, slightly winded, just staring at Victoria as she lay there.  
"What in da hell...?" was all Malik managed to say. He took his hand away from his neck, and saw it was smeared with a thin layer of red.  
"Is she OK...?" Dusty asked, still holding the book to his chest.

At last, with a sputter and a cough, Victoria slowly rolled over onto her back, groaning in pain. An enormous bruise formed on her chin.  
Samus immediately aimed her Power Beam at her face once more. When Victoria saw it, her eyes went wide with fear. She raised her hands to show she meant no harm. "Don't shoot! Please, Samus! Don't!"  
"Girl, what is yo PROBLEM?!" Malik shouted angrily. "Why was you all rippin' at my neck?!"  
"You better have an explanation," uttered Samus.  
Victoria shook her head slowly. "...I'm sorry! I don't know what happened to me. I... I felt this heat rush up my body, and... suddenly, I just wanted to hurt Malik. I felt like I was furious at him, but I don't know why. Honest. I tried to control it, but I couldn't..."  
At that moment, Scythe began to cry. Dusty inched over to console him, but kept his gaze on Victoria.

Samus was perplexed, and frankly, very concerned about Victoria's health. If she was faking, she was certainly going to extreme measures to get what she wanted. The more Samus pondered over the issue, the more she came to believe that Victoria was being honest, and that she had a serious illness. Life-threatening not only to herself, but the rest of the team.  
"Victoria," Samus said. "What color is the sky?"  
Victoria stared blankly, her eyes fixed on Samus's lips. She replied only with a shake of the head. "...W-what did you say?"  
"Just checking," Samus said pretty much to herself. She turned to Malik. "Are you still comfortable carrying her? I'm starting to think she may really be sick. I'm certain she'll have another rage outburst in due time..." Malik scratched his bald head. "Uhhh... I dunno. Iss not so much dat I'm afraid she'll hurt me. I'm just afraid I might hurt HER when I'm tryin' ta git her offa me!"  
Samus nodded. "I understand. I wonder if she can walk on her own, though...?"

When Samus and Malik both looked back towards Victoria, Dusty had already made his way over to her and was helping her to her feet. Once standing, she right away lost her balance and fell forward. Dusty caught her, chuckled a bit, and put her back on her feet. Though a little wobbly, she was able to stay up without aid.  
"Thanks, Dusty..." she said sheepishly. "...But I'm afraid... I don't want to hurt you..."  
"Aww, don't worry baby!" he said light-heartedly. "You can't hurt me any more than you already have. You've ripped my heart right outta my chest! Ooo!"  
"She can't hear ya, dawg. 'Member?" Malik pointed out.  
Dusty snapped his fingers. "Aw man, that's true..."  
"Don't worry," Samus added, "That line was pretty awful anyway. Oh, by the way, what'd you do with the Bible? And how's Scythe? I thought I heard him crying a minute ago..."  
"Huh? Oh, yeah! I left the Bible over on the throne. It's still open to Seedling Prophecy. And yeah, Scythe tripped out for a second there, but he's cool now. Prolly just teething or something. Ha! Ain't that right, buddy??"  
Scythe giggled and clapped his hands.

Malik pulled a tissue out of one of his suit pockets and dabbed his neck with it. "So, the Seedling Prophecy's in dat book over theah?"  
"Yes, it is," Samus replied, walking towards the throne. "Along With all that we didn't get to read before." She picked up the book in her hands, and held it over so Malik could see. With Victoria's interruption now passed, they could resume their reading...

"Dusty!" Samus shouted. "We need for you to come over here and read this with us! And bring Victoria, too! Since she can't hear, she'll have to read it!"  
Dusty didn't want to have to look over at Samus. Even in sickness that burned with rage, Victoria's face was too flawless and lovely to turn away from! But alas, he had to, so he did. "Sure thing, Samus. Be right there!"  
He looked back at Victoria, motioning for her to follow.  
"...Why? What's happening?" she wondered.  
Dusty started to explain, but shut his mouth right away. Then, with a smile, he gave her a warm pat on the shoulder and began walking. Feeling reassured, she followed.

Samus, Malik, Dusty, Victoria, and Scythe all gathered around the holy book on the carpet before the Pope's throne. It was turned to a page near the beginning, and the letters were worn and faded with time...

_**THE SEEDLING PROPHECY**_

"We already know all da stuff up heah," Malik reasoned. "I guess da NEW stuff oughtta start around...""Here," Samus said, pointing With her finger.  
With a nod, they all fell silent and began to read the remainder of the Prophecy...

--

_**...The Seed of Lucifer seeks to consume all life and thrust the innocent and the good into the depths of deep darkness. Sinners and betrayers alike will rise from the fire and breed a new generation of universal terror, creating a new and horrific natural order, natural though it be. Should such a dire destiny befall Jehovah's most precious creation, even His power would have little influence. He could do nothing, other than believe in His wisdom and adapt to the new, albeit nightmarish, way of life.**_

"Oh my..." Samus muttered under he breath as she finished. "Who knew we had missed out on so much of this the first time around?"  
"Damn right..." Malik said. "Sho' answers lotsa questions..."  
"Yeah, but then it brings up just as many, and the new ones are even MORE confusing!" Dusty complained. "Like, the Prophecy only talks about Jehovah's Seed. So where the freak is LUCIFER'S Seed then, huh? How close is he to meeting with his maker and bringing the Apocalypse, HUH? Man, I heart my Bible, but it sucks monkey balls when its skips important stuff..."  
"Now wait a minute," Samus told them all. "Thinking back to what we've read of the Prophecy before, Lucifer was, err, IS going to channel his power to his Seed by storing his power in a star, right? Now think about this - we've heard a group of Bounty Hunters died when a strange entity pulled them inside Old Major. Do you think its possible that... Old Major is that star? The one the Evil Seed has to meet With to unleash the Apocalypse?"  
Dusty laughed. "Pssh! Aw, come ON Samus! I've known that since you first told the Prophecy to me! Where's your mind been?"  
"Is that so? Hmm. Nice reasoning, Dusty."  
"Why thank you! And I thought you were the smart one and I was the dumb one! Yay! I figured something out before Samus did! This is cool!"  
"Congratulations," Samus said sarcastically. "Moving on... OK, about this part," she pointed at the page. "In addition to the 'Guardian', being you three, there's also someone called the 'Interloper'... and the 'Sorrowborne Hunter'. I don't see any physical descriptions, but they're supposed to help in some way. Any idea who these could be?"  
Malik and Dusty both looked at one another and shrugged. They couldn't be sure about that one.  
"...This 'Interloper'... He's evidently to free you guys of darkness plaguing your soul. What could that mean, do you think?"  
All three of them thought for a second, and then, slowly, turned towards Victoria. She had finished reading, but couldn't hear any of the conversation at hand. When she saw them all staring, she looked around uneasily. "...What? Is something wrong?"  
Dusty just gave her a playful punch in the arm and shook his head.

"Hang on ya'll, I gots an idea comin'..." Malik said. "See dis part heah? How da first line says Blobsoh VII, and the second says Earth? I's thinkin' maybe dis is telling where Scythe's blessing spots are at. But we already gots da first one. Da second... Atlantis? Wass that?"  
"I remember hearing about it when I was young..." Samus thought.  
"It's a myth, as far as I know," Dusty said. "Some empire that got drowned by a giant wave or something. No one's ever found it, or at least no one had ever found it while I lived here. All I know is that evidence showed that it might have been in the Mediterranean Sea."  
"And that is... where?" Samus asked.  
"Where is it? Hmm... how to put this... uhh... you know the country we're in right now? It pretty much sticks out into it."  
"Ah."  
"Now hold up," Malik blurted, "Scythe's second blessing place is underwatah?"  
"Oh, my... I sure hope not. I don't have my Gravity Suit" Samus admitted. "Damned thing. I always lose it every time I find it..."

"Now I don't get something..." Dusty said. "They say Lucifer's Seed is supposed to bring the Apocalypse and fill the universe With evil, yeah? But Jehovah's Seed... it's only purpose is to stop the Apocalypse from happening? It's not to establish God's Kingdom and spread love and good will and stuff?"  
"That's basically what it says," Samus pointed out."So... So what are we even doing all this for, then? What are we fighting for, if its not to make the universe a better place? Even if we win, we won't have done anything good. We'll have just undone something bad..."  
"And that's not worth fighting for?" Samus asked sternly.  
"It's not that. It's just... I was really hoping God's Kingdom might actually be a reality in the real world. A world without hate, sinners... Why would Jehovah raise a second son after Jesus Christ if it was only to... keep the universe exactly the way it is...?"  
Neither Samus nor Malik could really argue With Dusty, mainly because he was thinking on a much higher plane of faith than they were. Nevertheless, they could see his point.

With a nod, Samus folded the corner of the page and closed the book. "Well," she declared while standing up, "We'd best find our way to this 'Atlantis' place and get Scythe his second dose of power. Dusty, can you navigate again?"  
"I have no idea where the place is, but... OK!"  
Malik hoisted Scythe up onto his back. "Cool! Less get goin', huh?"  
Scythe cooed and nodded his head.

As Samus and Malik began to head out of the church's Gathering Hall, Dusty knelt down beside Victoria. "Hey girly, can you walk by yourself?"  
She gave him a puzzled look. Judging by her shaky posture, though, he figured she could, but With a lot of difficulty. She didn't deserve such a hardship, he thought. And so, without asking any more questions, he turned around and prompted her to climb on his back. With a slight hesitation, she accepted the hitch, and got aboard. Dusty lifted her small frame off the ground With ease, and began to carry her along.  
"Thank you... so much, Dusty," came her tired reply.  
Dusty nodded. But before leaving, he took a long, heartfelt look at the Pope's empty throne. A tear made its way down his cheek before turning around and following Samus and Malik out of the Roman Catholic Church.

* * *

Flying over the nation of Italy had been a strange sight, or as it maybe should have been called, the former nation of Italy. After all, a nation can't be a nation without citizens. Still no human beings, or any beings, to be found. What was seen, though, was evidence of a few large cities, utterly destroyed and abandoned. Dusty pointed one out in particular called Rome, which was supposedly Italy's capitol and largest tourist city. It was as empty and lifeless as a hollowed bone. Dusty seemed especially upset that one "Leaning Tower of Pisa" had now completely toppled over.

It wasn't long before the team found themselves piloting over the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. From this point on, Dusty insisted that he couldn't navigate anymore, and decided to join Malik in tending to Victoria and Scythe. Victoria was still gravely ill, and still deaf. She was constantly at war with herself to control her rising fits of rage, and it became more and more difficult all the time. Scythe began crying midway through the trip and hadn't stopped since. They had tried feeding him and letting him go to the bathroom, but no explanation was found. It was as though something was hurting him inside his body.

Samus turned on her scanners in order to map the floor of the sea as she flew overhead, hoping to find any signs of an underwater empire. After nearly an hour of flight, she had still found nothing. There were some strange bubble-like patterns popping up that increased in number as she traveled, but her sensors indicated they were only made of rock. It was frustrating work, and given the massive size of the sea, Samus wondered if finding this 'Atlantis' was even possible in one lifetime...  
"Hey Scythe! Where ya goin', little buddy? Hey! Come back!"

Samus was surprised to see Scythe crawling up next to her pilot's seat and look up at her. He wasn't crying anymore, which was good. In fact, the look in his eye was filled With excitement. Samus might have thought it looked cute, but it was hard for her to see past his loathsome Space Pirate features.  
"Umm... What is it, Scythe?" she asked.  
Scythe yelped and sprang up on his knees, grabbed the control stick, and yanked left. The Gunship was sent into a downward bank so sharp Samus almost flew out of her seat.  
"Scythe!!" she screamed, gripping the stick herself and trying to pull it away. The two fought mercilessly over the stick, causing the Gunship to do a barrel roll, a loop, and other crazy maneuvers. At one point Scythe even dipped them under the ocean and Samus had to pull back to resurface. "Scythe, stop it! You're gonna get us killed!!"  
Scythe didn't reply, and instead kept trying to manipulate the controls to accomplish his own weird agenda.  
Samus was now angry, and scared what Scythe might do to all of them. And so, she did the only thing she could - she aimed her Arm Cannon at his hand and fired a single Power Beam shot.

Scythe cried out and released the stick, and began wailing and rolling around on the ground, holding his hurt hand. Samus did her best to stabilize the ship, but it was too late to save it from splashing down into the ocean again. _SPLAAAAAAASH!!_  
She didn't bother flying out this time. She merely turned off the jets and deployed the flotation devices so the ship would surface on its own.

Several seconds later, Dusty came running into the cockpit, looking dizzy and bruised. "Holy crap, Samus! Where you piloting drunk or what?! We don't have seatbelts, ya know. We could've died!"  
"It's not my fault!" Samus insisted. "Scythe just ran in here and suddenly grabbed the control stick. I had to fight With him regain control. We would've crashed if I hadn't!"  
Scythe was still holding his hand and bawling on the floor. Dusty knelt down beside him. "Whadja DO to him, Samus?!"  
"I did all I could do. It was just a shot in the hand. He'll be fine."  
"Oh great. Just great. When all this gets written down in history, you'll be labeled as the woman who SHOT THE MESSIAH! Nice job, Samus."  
"How are Malik and Victoria?"  
"Victoria's OK. I did my best to protect her, and she seemed fine afterwards. As for Malik. I dunno..."  
"Yo guys, a lil' help in heah?" Malik called. "I fallen on meh back and I can't get back up on my wheels!"  
"Oh dag..." Dusty muttered. "Be right there, Malik!"

The second Dusty ran out, Scythe's crying slowly came to a stop. Samus gave him a hard look. "Well I hope you had a good reason for doing what you did," she cursed.  
Scythe crawled over to the control panel and got on his knees again. Defensively, Samus gripped the control stick as tightly as she could. However, Scythe merely wanted to look out the window. He must have liked what he saw, because he right away began pointing and bounding up and down, cooing joyously.  
"What is it?" Samus asked. She followed where he pointed, and found it to be but a lone little rock island, no bigger than 10 feet in diameter, with only a small wooden building on it.  
"What's over there?" she wondered. It didn't take long for suspicions to grow.

Malik then came rolling in, looking completely bewildered. "Maaan Samus, what da HELL was you doin' up in heah? I thought the sky and earf was tradin' places o' sumthin'..."

Samus just sighed. "I'm really sorry about that. That was just Scythe, taking us where we needed to go..."

* * *

"What is this building?"  
"It's a Porta-Potty!"  
"A who?"  
"You know, a portable bathroom. Like the ones they used in 'Nam."  
"Oh yeeeah! One o' dese things. We used 'em in war all da time. But... wass this one doin' all the way out heah? And why's Scythe trippin' out ovah it?" "Umm... Is this Atlantis? It looks kinda... cheap."  
"You know, it could be part of Atlantis. The thing is, if it was, it must've been at the top of the tallest mountain in the whole kingdom..."  
"Ha! That's right, huh? Not very convenient."  
"Or perhaps... perfectly convenient."

Samus stepped inside the small structure and gazed into the hole inside. It led to nothing but darkness. "I have a suspicion that this place somehow leads to Scythe's second blessing place..."  
"Uhh, Samus?" Malik asked sheepishly, "I dun think God or whoever would really want his son ta be blessed in a bafroom..."  
"No, no. Don't you see? This hole... It must lead to the temple somehow!"  
"Off-hand, I'd guess it leads to a stinkin' pool of piss," Dusty mused. "But if you wanna jump down and check, feel free."  
They all looked around at each other, wondering who had the guts to be the tester.

"Dusty, you're the navigator. Why don't YOU lead the way?" Samus reasoned.  
Dusty crossed his arms. "Nope. No way, Jose. I never go down the tunnel first."  
"It's not a tunnel, really..."  
"Outhouse hole. Whatever. Like it's much better."  
"Well, come on Dusty. ONE of us has to go down first, and you're the most ideal."  
"Oh yeeeah? And why's that?"  
"Because more people voted for you. That means you have to go down there first no matter what anyone says."  
"Whoa now Samus, I thought we agreed to keep the 4th wall intact."  
"I never agreed to anything like that. Now give the voters what they want and go down the crap hole!"  
"Bleh. Stupid interactive stories and their democratic practices... Fine! I'll do it. But if I die, tell Victoria that, she, uhh... that she's the bomb, OK?"  
Malik immediately bust out laughing.  
"We'll be sure to tell her," Samus said with a nod. "Now go on. Anytime your ready. Just make sure it's before the universe ends, OK?"  
Dusty bent over the hole and peered down. The darkness seemed to go down a long way. His helmet kept him from smelling the air, but he wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. "Uh, guys, before I jump down to my doom, I just wanna say it was an honor and a privilege to work with such great people like yourselves. In fact, it reminds me of my 8th birthday..."  
Malik had heard enough. Using his strong arms, he lifted Dusty's legs off the ground, causing him to fall into the hole headfirst. His stupid holler echoed all the way down.  
Victoria gasped, and ran over to the hole, peering down in fear. "Dusty?! DUSTY!!" She turned to Malik with a hurt expression. "W-why did you do that, Malik? Why??"

Dusty's voice suddenly echoed back out from the darkness...  
"_Man, what a dive! Good thing I landed in this pool of... Huh? A pool?! Oh... Oh my God! Oh my GOD!! Agghhh, I knew it! I knew it I knew it I fucking KNEW it! Aww, this is just... WAAAAGGGHHH!! Why did I agree to this?! Ohh, sick sick SICK!! I'm swimming in a goddamn pool of piss! OH, I'M SWIMMING IN A GODDAMN POOL OF- Huh? Oh, it's water! HEY GUYS, IT'S ONLY WATER!! YEEEEESSS!!_"  
As much as Samus hated to admit, she was overjoyed to hear Dusty was OK. "You sure about that? Try tasting some to make sure!"  
"_Heheh, ummm... Naw, I'm not takin' THAT chance. Now let's see... Ah-hah! I see a bank over here! K, cool, outta the pool and on land. Pretty dry down here, actually. Kinda surprised that WHOA! What have we here...? Holy mother of Goodness! Guys, guys! You gotta come down here! Seriously!!_"  
"What is it, Dusty??"  
"_I can't describe it! Just get your lazy butts down here and check it out!_"

"Is he OK? Can you hear him?" was the first thing Victoria asked.  
Malik nodded, reassuring her.  
"Oh, that's good... But still, don't scare me like that. I was really worried..."  
With a chuckle, Malik shrugged. He then motioned for the hole, indicating it was safe to jump in, and that something magnificent lay below...

As each of the four remaining team members dropped into the thousand-foot hole and emerged from the pool of water at the bottom, they were greeted to a gorgeous and astonishing sight. From atop their perch, the ruins of an ancient civilization spread before them, as far as the eye could perceive. Traces of Roman, Greek, and Egyptian architecture, according to Dusty, could be seen, all blended together into one. The entire empire seemed to be concealed within a series of massive stone 'bubbles' that kept it preserved, the same ones Samus had detected from above. What a remarkable discovery!

"So the secret to finding Atlantis was to jump into a toilet..." Samus muttered. "No wonder no one ever found it."  
"Damn, the people who lived here WERE clever!" Dusty said. "I mean, what more genius way to hide an underwater city than that?"  
"I gots ta admit, dat is purty smart," Malik thought. "So den, whadda we do now? Where's da temple at?"  
"Um, hey guys? I think Scythe's trying to tell us something..." Victoria wheezed. Indeed, Scythe bounded up and down on his hands and knees like a puppy dog, and began to crawl hastily down the rocks towards the ancient city.  
"He's never been wrong about where we've needed to go before," Samus told them. "Let's go."

Scythe led the quartet of Hunters through the cluttered city streets. The streets weren't cluttered with people, however. Rather, they were cluttered with rubble, shattered objects, and most abundantly, war equipment. The variety of weapons was vast, ranging from simple swords and bows to laser guns and energy bombs. As with the world above, not a single living thing was found stirring here, either.  
At last, Scythe crawled to door of the tallest building in the vicinity and stopped. Looking up, it must have been ten stories tall, and composed of grey stone, the white paint having faded off years ago. The building didn't look especially grand, but Scythe really wanted to enter. And so they did just that.

The building's foyer was rather bland and not worth describing. A staircase led upwards, evidently where Scythe wanted to go. He began to crawl up quickly, leading the others to follow. Malik couldn't go up on account of his wheels, so he happily agreed to stay down on the first floor and wait for them all to finish their business.  
This was it. Scythe's second blessing was clearly to happen in that very building. He would soon know the power to defeat Lucifer's Seed when the time came. Their mission would soon be over...

As they scaled the steps, they passed a second story window which Samus looked out. An old abandoned neighborhood, a park with a dried fountain, a large metal vessel... Hm? She did a double take and examined the vessel from afar. The design... It looked so familiar. There was no doubt about it. She'd seen it before. But where...?

"Hey Samus, you frozen back there?" Dusty called down. "Scythe's really bookin' it. Try to keep up, huh?"  
Victoria, however, could see that Samus was concerned about something. Fighting her dizziness, she walked down a few steps and stood next to her. "Unnh... I-Is something wrong...?"  
Samus shook her head. "No, nothing to worry about. Just a little, deja vu probably. Let's continue on our wa-"  
"Oh my God! That's the Orpheon!!"

Victoria's frightened exclamation sounded throughout the building.  
Dusty and Scythe both stopped dead in their ascent and looked down in shock.  
_"Whaaat??" _Malik shouted from below. _"Whadja just say?? Sumthin' bout da Orpheon?? Wass that agin??"  
_Samus's blood turned to ice in an instant. Victoria had verified her suspicions - it was the Space Pirate vessel once commanded by Reaper. She didn't understand how it was possible, but there it was. The Orpheon, stationed in the building's courtyard...  
And then, the sound of shuffling feet, as if by a squad of a dozen soldiers.

Samus readied her Arm Cannon and knelt down. "Everybody! Draw your weapons and GET DOWN!!"  
Everyone immediately obeyed. In the silence, they listened...  
The sound of feet seemed to have vanished. However, Samus could still feel a presence that was not her own nor of her teammates...

The silence in the building was maddening. If there was any moment when they should have made haste for the holy altar, it should have been right then. Nevertheless, they all remained still and hidden, weapons ready for whatever may be coming their way. A few more muffled sounds could be heard from outside. Footsteps? The cocking of firearms? They were hard to discern, but in such a ruined, desolate place, any sound was enough to make them wonder, what could it be...?  
A heart-stopping roar erupted from below. Followed by a chorus of even more.  
They were unmistakable. Samus knew right away.  
Space Pirates._  
_  
The sound of the main door on the bottom floor slamming open split through the air, and in a mere few seconds, the entire structure was in an uproar. Malik's cries for help reached the upper floors, but the Pirates had him subdued in no time.  
_"Samuuus!!" _he yelled._ "The Pirates is heah! They got me! Help meh, Samuuus!!"  
_Dusty came running down the stairs to Samus and Victoria blindingly fast, with Scythe on his back. "Samus, we've gotta get down there and help Malik! The Pirates have him!"  
"It's too risky to bring Scythe. He's the one they're after," she said. "You stay up here with him. You and Victoria, both. I'll go myself."  
Victoria could see the tense concern in Samus and Dusty's faces. "What's happening?" she pleaded. "It feels like an earthquake in here!"

Samus didn't bother to answer, for there was no point. She up and jumped over the stair railing, free-falling the several stories into the heart of the war zone on the bottom floor. As she fell, she rolled into her Morph Ball, and upon landing, detonated a Power Bomb. The agonizing squeals of suffering Pirates could be heard all around her. Immediately, she popped back into bipedal form and began firing missile after missile after missile in every direction. In her firing frenzy, she spotted Malik, flipped over on his back by the Pirates and With guns pointed at his head. Before she could aim at his captors, a rough arm grabbed her Arm Cannon and pulled mightily backwards, almost dislocating her shoulder. The tug forced her to turn around. And when she saw the one who had grabbed her, all sense in the world completely fell apart for that brief moment.  
"Reaper...?"

Reaper. There he stood, plain as day, his jaws curved into a wicked smile. "Hello again, Samus..."

Samus was speechless. So many words wanting to come out that they clogged her throat.  
"I'd like to ask you something, Samus. Do you believe in life after death?"  
At last, Samus found the gall to speak. "...No, I don't. Death means the end of life, and that's that. There can be no life afterwards. It's impossible."  
"Ah, but Samus..." he cracked wickedly. "I was dead. Truly, I was. You saw me die with your own eyes. And yet... here I am. How can that be, do you think?"  
"Well you obviously seem to know. Enlighten me, please."  
"I'm afraid I don't quite understand it either. All I can remember is dying a very, VERY painful demise at the hands of that stupid little brat. And then, shortly thereafter, a flash of red light, as though some invigoration had been pumped inside me. The light grew brighter over time, and the feeling of life blooming inside, growing stronger, and before I knew it... I was alive and well again. Me and all my men as well. No science that I can think of can explain this phenomenon. But perhaps science isn't all there is to it, hm?"  
"What's your point, Reaper? And what are you doing here?"  
"Most likely what you think I'm doing here," he said matter-of-factly. With a whistle and the wave of his hand, a team of Pirates came marching down the stairs, holding Dusty and Victoria at gunpoint. Scythe was nowhere in the crowd.

Samus glared angrily at Reaper. "Where is Scythe?!"  
"Scythe..." Reaper announced With a laugh, "Is now ours. But no worries, we only have need of the power that dwells within him. However, it seems you've grown attached to the oversized tyke, haven't you? Tell you what - once we've had the power extracted and harnessed for ourselves, we'll give him right back. Deal?"  
"Bull," Samus uttered. "How can you possibly extract the Seed out of his body?"  
"Oh, how foolish of me! How would I expect you to know that? Ha! I mean, after all, what creature could YOU be affiliated With that can... suck the very life force from any being?"  
Samus gritted her teeth, and aimed her Arm Cannon directly at Reaper's head. "I'll make sure you stay dead this time!"

As she readied her gun, every other Pirate in the room withdrew their own, and all aimed their weapons as Malik, Dusty, and Victoria.  
"Go ahead and shoot," Reaper dared. "Go ahead, if the cost is only your work partners. Shouldn't be too hard to blow THOSE burdens out of the way, should it?"  
Samus right away broke into a nervous sweat. She looked around at her three teammates, examining their faces, staring into their souls. Malik wore a mask of courage over a true face that wreaked of fear. Dusty stared at the ground, not entirely sure about his life, but knowing full well that he didn't want to die. Victoria had no shame in hiding her mounting dread. Her breaths came deep and fast, her eyes begging Samus to make the right choice.  
And it was in this moment that Samus felt a heavy heart that she couldn't remember feeling ever since she was a young girl in her final days on planet Earth...

And so, with a deep breath, Samus slowly lowered her Arm Cannon, and took two steps back. "Don't hurt them," she replied lowly. "Do what you want With us. Do what you want With me. But don't hurt them. Understand?"  
Reaper just grinned again and shook his head. "My my my... And here I thought you were the object of any Space Pirates nightmares. Turns out you're nothing but a big softie after all. You disappoint me, Samus."  
"You disappoint me, too. Guess a second shot at life for you came at the price of half your brain. And that's not saying much."  
Reaper must have pretended he didn't hear that. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. "Take them to the basement. Don't lock them in the room with the other prisoner. And as for Scythe... get him ready."

The crowd of Space Pirates all saluted in response, and began to escort the four Hunters down the steps into the dark basement. In the crowd, Malik and Samus ended up walking and rolling side by side.  
"Samus!" Malik gasped. "Why'd you do dat? Why'd you let 'em have Scythe and have 'em lock us up? This ain't like you!"  
Samus slightly turned her head to him. "...I know. It's really not. I don't know what I'm thinking..."  
"Aw maaan! We's dead fo sho'! We's dead!"  
"Don't be so sure, big guy" Samus assured him, a confident slyness in her voice. "...I don't really know where these ideas in my head are coming from, but that doesn't mean I don't like them."  
Malik was confused. "Whaddya mean?"  
"I mean... don't worry yourself. We'll win this, and by God, I'll make sure of it."  
"By... God?"  
"Yes Malik, by God..."

**The Seed of Jehovah... his reason for being is opposite that of his adversary, and of his elder brother, Jesus Christ, the first son of Jehovah. To bring a golden age of prosperity and peace to the cosmos and all its inhabitants, his ultimate goal is not. The Seed of Jehovah... He exists only and solely as a barrier and an arm, a shield and sword. A shield to deter the evil onslaught destined to be brought on by the Seed of Lucifer, a sword to pierce its dark heart and rid the universe of his cruel designs. The Seed of Jehovah... A vessel of light, but only so to block out and banish the dark, and thenceforth to fade into nothingness itself.**

**Blobsoh VII, an outset world where the godsent Chozo found retreat during times of hostility and battle...  
Earth, birthplace of Lucifer, in the hidden, maritime empire of Atlantis...**

**The Guardian of the Seed of Jehovah, though it be a resilient force, is a flawed defense. The corruptive force of the Seed of Lucifer can and will breach the armor. The son of the Prime Betrayer, he too is bound to hereditate this trait and exploit it to its fullest. The Guardian shall seek the aid of The Interloper, an aged hero of unsurpassed merit who, in his final hour, may liberate the Guardian of the darkness that plagues their souls.**

**And monumental will be the day when the final war descends upon the realm of the living. A war that shall reach into the heavens and the fiery depths as well. Should Lucifer and Seed meet, the battle will commence, and the power of Jehovah's Seed will blossom within, and he will know the power to set all in the right way again. It is decreed that, in addition to the Guardian's protective force, the so-named Sorrowborne Hunter will rise to the mightiest challenge and govern The Seed of Jehovah in the ultimate battle between good and evil.**

**The enigma remains of the war's final outcome. Who shall emerge victorious, it is not known. Mist clouds the vision...  
Come Judgment Day, we shall know.  
Until the hour is nigh, we pray to our Lord and Savior.  
Amen.**

**--  
**


	7. Part 6

One by one, the four Bounty Hunters were literally thrown into a dank, moldy basement cell. A knee-high layer of water flooded the floor. Once all were soundly inside, Reaper himself pulled the heavy metal door closed. Then, peeking through the small barred window, he grinned. "It pains me to lock you all up in the cell. Truly, it does. Believe me, if I could, I would slaughter all four of you where you stood. Especially you, Samus. Goodness, how I loathe you... But, verily, there are reasons I need you alive. At least for now. Try to enjoy your prison. It's the last place you'll ever remember being before we acquire our ultimate power! My men have this place guarded at every corner, so I wouldn't recommend trying to escape. Oh, and one more thing - watch that drain in the floor. Electric eels are known to swim up through it."  
And with a deep, villainesque chuckle, he was gone.

Dusty kicked the water angrily. "No! No no NO! This is bullshit! This can't be happening to us! We were so close! SOOO CLOOOOOSE!! I think I'm gonna faint. Someone catch me pleeze..."  
"Calm down, Dusty," Samus told him coolly. "We'll find a way out of this..."  
"Oh yeah? What are we gonna do? YOU'RE the one who agreed to have us captured! Why didn't you just blow Reaper's bloody head off? All the Pirates woulda been taken off guard, we all coulda freed ourselves, and then we woulda kicked all their asses back to Zebes! We could've gotten out of it right THERE...!"  
"Well, there's no use in talking about what 'woulda' or 'coulda' been, now is there? What's done is done. The fact is, we're in here, and Reaper is out there with Scythe, no doubt ready to seize his power..."  
"Sorry Samus, but I just ain't gettin' you, girl..." Malik said, forcing his wheels through the water. "We's in the wors' sitiation I could possibly think of, and yo' talkin' like everythang's gonna be OK. I dun understand it..."  
"The Prophecy," Samus stated confidently, "Says that the Guardian is bound to be met and set free by the Interloper, and The Sorrowborne Warrior is to aid the Seed of Heart in the final battle against evil. That's what the Prophecy read, so no matter what we do, it will end up that way sooner or later..."

"Don't you see Samus?" Dusty argued. "That's exactly the kind of thinking that will guarantee The Prophecy WON'T come true. Think about it! You think that if we just sit around doing nothing, we'll just magically end up in the final battle only because The Prophecy says it will happen? That's not how the cookie crumbles, Samus!"  
"I thought you had faith in everything the Bible said..." Samus mused. "You've proven yourself to be the biggest hypocrite I know. No wonder religion is so looked down upon..."  
Dusty yanked off his helmet, revealing his face to be bright red with anger. "YOU, Samus Aran, clearly don't know the first thing about faith. Faith's not about just believing. It's about the actions you take to express those beliefs. You think The Prophecy's really gonna play out like it should, huh? Well then get up off your butt and start making it happen! And don't you DARE call me a hypocrite without first looking at yourself!"  
Samus stood up quickly, feeling her body starting to become tense with anger. "Excuse me?! I don't know WHAT you're accomplishing by trying to make me look stupid, but it's not getting us any closer to finishing our mission!"  
"I'm not trying to make you look stupid, I'm trying to express to you a very obvious truth!"

Malik tried to come between the two as their argument grew more and more heated. "Hey, c'mon you two! Less try an' talk this out like real partnahs..."  
"There you go again, saying how 'obvious' that truth is!" Samus retaliated, ignoring Malik. "Well pardon me for not living by the writings of an old book written thousands of years ago! If God's so all-knowing and all-powerful, why can't he keep up with the times?!"

"Everyone's gonna remember how great of a Bounty Hunter you were," Dusty hissed, "But all I'M gonna remember is how legendary your stubbornness was."

"Is that a threat?!"  
"If you take it as one!"  
"I swear I am going to weld your goddamn mouth shut!"  
"Just try it, stubborn bitch!"

Samus and Dusty went at each other, screaming at the tops of their lungs. Both their arms ended up knocking Malik backwards, causing him to splash in the water. Victoria flattened herself against the wall, scared to death, scared that Samus and Dusty might actually go so far as to kill one another. Already, Dusty had pulled off Samus's helmet and dunked her head into the water. She answered back with a Wave Beam shot to his bare face, leaving three distinct burn marks.  
And suddenly, from within her own body, Victoria could feel it rising again. The stress was causing her illness to spring forth and fill her with hot, fiery rage. One moment, she was struggling to suppress it. The next thing she knew, she was on Samus's back, ripping at her face with her sharp nails.  
Somehow, Malik got into the whole affair as well, and all four were in a full out melee. Four hunters, at one time respectful partners, now bloodthirsty savages. Shots fired from pistols chipped the stone walls. Waves of water splashed to and fro as the bodies thrashed about. The water had grown a full shade redder than before. It was quite literally a bloodbath. One that would end only when there was one hunter left standing.  
And for what cause, none of them could even recall...

"_PIRATES! PIRAAATES! GAH!_"

A loud _BAANG!! _suddenly made Samus, Dusty, and Malik snap into attention. Victoria didn't hear it, but Malik had her in a firm headlock which kept her at bay. For a few seconds, none of them could even remember where they were and why their bodies ached so much.  
The sound... A gunshot. It seemed to come from the other side of the western wall...  
And at last, with the tension in the room beginning to ease, Victoria finally settled down, her inner flame flickering out.

"_GO AWAY, PIRATES!! I'LL SHOOT!! I'LL SHOOT YOU IN THE HEAD!! I SWEAR!!_"

Another loud _BAANG!! _Undoubtedly from beyond that wall.  
This time, Samus responded. "Hello? Hello, can you hear me over there?!"  
"_Huh? P-Pirates...? I'll shoot you..._" came the stuttered reply.  
"No, it's not a Pirate," she replied. "My name is Samus Aran, and I'm a Bounty Hu-"  
"_Samus Aran?! Oh, praise be thy name! Oh, yes! YES! You're here in Atlantis because... The Seedling Prophecy! To be fulfilled! You're going to fulfill?!_"  
"Umm... y-yes, we are. Who are you, and what are you doing locked up in there?"  
"_You're Samus Aran... Ha! A-and... and the Guardian is with you...?_"  
"...I believe so, yes."

Silence.

"_The Prophecy... After all this time... After ALL THIS TIME! Oh, thank you thank you thank you..._"  
Samus looked at Malik and Dusty, who both looked as confused as heck. Who was this delirious man on the other side of the wall? Victoria was no help, seeing as she was still deaf and was now sitting against the wall like a lump, mumbling to herself.  
Despite the man's obvious issues, however, he did seem to know what was going on. But how could they get any reliable information out of him? Was he even human? It was questionable whether or not he could be trusted...

"Excuse me... sir?" Samus asked hesitantly through the wall, "You know about the Seedling Prophecy?"  
"_The Prophecy... Not a battle between Evil and Good. A battle between Evil and... Balance..._"  
The mysterious prisoner had the deep, sincere voice of a saint. But it was hindered by quivering and deep breathing. They might have guessed he was locked in a freezer, but they suspected it was a result of his mental instability. Just what strange thoughts were running through his head?

"Balance?" Malik questioned. "Whaddya mean by dat?"  
"_The way things are now, Good and Evil live in almost perfect harmony. Almost perfect. More perfect than ever before. The problem... For all time before today, Good outweighed Evil. The scales have slowly been shifting over time, from one end to the other. And, as the two become closer to balancing out, the closer they become to falling to the other end..._"  
Malik scratched his head. "But we can stop it, fo' real? I mean, if we get the Good Seed his blessin's and all dat?"  
"_Yes... Keep the balance where it is. At the very least... to prolong the shifting of the scales..._"

Dusty was busy splashing water on his bruised and burnt face. "Geez..." he muttered. "This guy's wackier than I am the hour after Happy Hour..."  
Samus nudged him, urging him to be more helpful. He sighed and spoke through the wall. "Umm, yeah. Mr Man Sir over there? Yeah, umm... Just a question. This Prophecy talks about Jehovah, Lucifer, the Christian names for God and Satan... even Jesus Christ is mentioned. That proves Christianity is the only true religion, right?"  
"_...No! Christianity... lies. All lies... Ah, no. Not lies, not lies... Only in name. The Prophecy of the Seedlings, is one of the most documented prophecies in history, and yet, one of the most secret. It is in the Holy Bible, as you say, depicted as Jehovah against Lucifer. The Koran of Islam... Allah vs Iblis. The Rig Veda of Hinduism... Vishnu vs Tamas. The Abhidharma Pitaka of Buddhism... Buddha vs Mara. All the same tale. The same story. Only differing... in name..._"  
"But wait! What about Jesus? He's strictly Christian! No other religion talks about him."  
"_No... every religion... God has a child born as a man. Jesus Christ, Horus, Isa, Mithra... all the same story. Always the same story..._"  
Dusty couldn't believe his ears. "S-so... Which religion is the true one to follow? Which names for God and Satan are the real deal? Which ones?"  
"_All and none... All.. and none..._"  
Dusty flopped his back against the wall and slid down until he was in a seating position. He covered his face with his hands and groaned.

"I'm sorry for asking so many questions sir," Samus said, "But do you know who the Interloper and the Sorrowborne Warrior are? They're supposed to be linked somehow..."  
"_Sorrowborne Warrior... Warrior, born of sorrow... The legend tells of an orphan child, born of the world where The Devil calls home. A time came when The Devil's Plague came forth to cleanse that world of all mortal life. The Devil's Plague... took away those she loved most. She fell into sorrow and depression at such a young age. Beings of God's Order descended to rescue her, the sole survivor. They raised her to fight against The Devil's Plague. Her greatest weapon... is her sorrow..._"  
As Samus listened, a tear began to form in her eye. She couldn't explain why. Perhaps because deep down, she knew she somehow COULD explain why...

"Excuse me, suh?" Malik asked. "Maybe it's a lil' late, but... my name is Malik. And I have heah my friends Samus, Dusty, and..." He was going to say Victoria, but seeing as she wouldn't be able to converse anyway, he decided not to mention her. "Yeah, us three. It's a pleasure talkin' to ya. Whass yo' name one mo' time?"  
There was a long pause, as though the man had to strain to remember.  
"_...Makarus._"

Dusty immediately sat up. "Makarus? Oh snaps, you mean from that one story?"  
"_Yes. Protaginist from... Twilight Princess IAS... I was named after him._"  
"Oh, jawsome!" Dusty exclaimed, hopping up. "That was a great story, wasn't it? I mean, how could you not love a story starring Link whose goal is to search for, among other things, a GOLDEN WII REMOTE? Ha!"  
"_Yes... Fantastic. Truly fantastic..._"  
"Umm, boys? I think we're getting a bit off-topic here," Samus warned. But under her breath muttered, "But it IS a pretty good story..."  
"Now hold up!" Malik cried. "Dat story ain't even done yet. How can you be named after a guy in a story dat's only been up fo', like, 3 months?"  
"Don't question Makarus!" Dusty snapped. "Or you'll be hearing from me, personally!"  
"_Enough. You may go read that IAS whenever you'd like. But now is time... for other matters..._"  
"Oh, alright," Dusty said. "But Makarus, just so ya know, all is forgiven for all that bullcrap about how all religions are the same."  
"_I, well, umm... OK. Sure..._"

"So Makarus, I need to know something else. There was this weird broadcast, see? And-"  
"_THE BROADCAST?!_" Makarus shouted in fear. "_...Could it be? The broadcast of the star Old Major... The Devil has sent out his awakening call to his Seed?? No... Time is running short. We must... finish... the rites..._"  
"Right, right," Dusty said. "But I was just wondering how come it killed everyone else, but me and Victo-"  
"_You are the Guardian! Blessed With God's power to counter the darkness! His light protects you always..._"  
"Really? So, I could, like, jump off a hundred foot cliff, and not have to worry about dying cuz God's light protects me?"  
"_No.?_"  
"Wha-? But you said-"  
"_NOOO!_"  
"Dammit."

"So where's da Evil Seed at?" Malik wondered. "If we're runnin' outta time, we oughtta know!"  
"_I don't know... Not written in the Prophecy. Not written. ...No. I think I know. Same body. Same... body..._"

"Sir?" Samus asked hesitantly. "If you don't mind me asking a few personal questions?"  
"_...Yes..._"  
"Please sir, just a few. Nothing too personal."  
"_No, please ask..._"  
"OK. How long have you been here?"  
"_...F-four months..._"  
"And what was your reason for coming here?"  
"_...To research the Prophecy that I knew would come to pass..._"  
"And... do you have a daughter?"  
Another long pause.  
"_...Y-yes._"

Samus bit her lower lip. "OK, just one more question, Makarus. Do you... go by any other name besides Makarus? You know, like a nickname to describe your profession?"  
"_Makarus. Is my true name. But my TRUE name... is Headshot._"  
The man then made a faint yelp. "_Pirates?! PIRAAATES!! The Devil's Plague! I'll shoot you all in the fucking head because I am HEADSHOT!!_"

Samus gasped. Immediately, she looked at Victoria.  
She still sat there against the wall, half submerged in the dirty, bloody water, tugging at her black hair and muttering to herself. The fact that the man she'd gone through the trials of becoming a Bounty Hunter just to gain the rights and equipment to search for this one man, Headshot, her father... To have only a wall between them, only able to communicate by mouth and ears...

Samus desired so badly to tell Victoria the truth that her father was right there on the other side of the wall. But how could she, considering Victoria's deafness? And even if the message could get across, would Victoria even believe her? And if she DID believe her, what was Victoria supposed to do? Samus could picture it... Victoria pounding on wall, waterfalls from her eyes, crying out for her father, unable to reach him, and still yet unable to hear him...  
As for telling Headshot about Victoria... that was a possibility. Despite his mentality, he still seemed to know he had a daughter. But still, there was the wall between them...  
Samus couldn't decide what to do. Victoria and Headshot were so close, yet still so far away from one another...

When Dusty heard Headshot's true identity, he was struck with such a strange emotion that it left him dazed for several seconds. His first reaction thereafter was to run over to Victoria and tell her. He sloshed through the water like an excited kid and bent down in front of her, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her body. She looked up into his face, her eyes bloodshot, weary, and tired.  
"Vicki! Oh, Vicki! You're not gonna believe this! Headshot's on the other side of the wall you're leaning on. Headshot! Your dad! Isn't that crazy?!"

However, Victoria could only see Dusty's smiling face as he held her, and was unable to know his reasons for being happy. All she could do was return a confused look, and grow annoyed that he was starving for her attention when she just wanted to be left alone.  
Malik acted on instinct first as well, not thinking about the consequences. "Yo Headshot!" he cried. "Victoria's wid us! She's heah! I ain't lyin'!"

Headshot, however, seemed to grow more insane every second. _"Yes, Victoria... part of the Guardian. Destined to be freed from darkness..."_  
"Damn, boy! Ain't you hearin' me right?? VICTORIA, yo' DAUGHTER, is right heah in da cell wid us!!"  
_"My daughter... No. Cannot be. She is no Guardian. Cannot be... No..."  
_"Believe me, man. Seriously, I am tellin' you da cold, hard truth!!"  
_"Victoria... name of Guardian force... Not my daughter. Not my daughter..."_  
"Oh yeah, dawg? Then what IS yo' daughter's name?"  
_"...Not Victoria. She's Guardian. Not Victoria..."_  
Malik gritted his teeth and punched the air. "GodDAMN this guy is messed up in da head! He don't even know his own daughter from the Guardian. What can I do ta convince 'im, Samus?"

Samus was closely inspecting every inch of the cell wall. "I doubt you'll be able to. Headshot's out of his mind, and Victoria's deaf as a hammer. Words will do neither of them any good..."  
"What're ya gonna do, then? I dun get you."  
"I'm hoping to bust a hole in the wall. If they can just see each other, maybe that will be enough..."

Dusty continued his effort to get his message across. He tried using sign language, body movements, a game of charades... but nothing worked. It was largely because of Victoria's lack of interest in what Dusty was so excited about. As far as she could tell, nothing was worth celebrating.  
"Dusty," she pleaded. "Just please leave me alone..."  
That didn't stop Dusty from trying another charade.  
"Dusty... Just stop it. Stop it! I wanna be by myself!"  
"Vicki, I swear, you picked the WORSE time to be deaf! God, if only you could hear what I'm trying to tell you!!"  
Victoria replied only with an icy cold stare. She could feel the burning sensation of anger and malice beginning to boil up from her gut. It was a feeling she didn't try so hard to fight. She was genuinely becoming angry with Dusty, and wanted to get him out of her face, no matter what.  
Dusty decided to take a new approach, not oblivious to Victoria's anger, but rather hoping to get his message to her before she exploded on him. He spoke it out slowly, exaggerating his mouth movements. "Vicki... Read, my, lips. Your, FATHER, is, on, the, other, side, of, the, wa-"  
Too late.  
Not a second later, Victoria wailed in fury and leapt on Dusty, splashing him on his back into the water. Her fingers tight around his neck, she threatened to hold his head below the water until death. He kicked and tried to resist, but her strength was unfathomable. Only the bubbles of his last breaths broke the surface.

_KABOOOOOOM!!_

In the heat of the moment, Samus launched a Super Missile at a cracked fault between two stones. A small cloud of dust was formed, hovering over the air, and bringing a still, suspenseful aura to the cell.  
As the dust cleared, the wall became visible again...  
And in it, a broken hole, perhaps six inches in diameter.

Victoria reacted with a quick turn of the head. Still tense and alarmed, she kept Dusty's head under the water. Using her distraction, he kicked her off roughly, bringing his head up and gasping for air. However, she didn't pounce on him again, as he expected. Her focus was on the hole in the wall only.  
Malik slowly strode through the water towards the hole and called into it. "Headshot? Err, Makarus? Suh? You a'ight in there?"  
_"Pirates! PIRATES! They're attacking! I'm outta ammo! Gah! They're gonna KILL ME!!"  
_"No man, shut up! Dere's a hole heah in da wall now, can't you see?"  
_"...A hole? Oh, my. I see... What's going to come out of it? I'll shoot it in the head..."  
_"Naw man, just take a look. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised..."  
_"W-w-wha... wha... uhh, I, umm... a-alright..."  
_  
Dusty couldn't help but smile again. He lifted Victoria up onto her feet, and he and Samus led her over to the blown up hole. She was shivering uncontrollably, scared about what they were trying to make her see.  
A yelp caught in her throat when a big set of fingers from the other side of the wall grasped the edge of the hole.  
And then, through the window, a face slowly came into view...  
And she gasped in disbelief.

Those green eyes... they made her feel nostalgic for her childhood. As did the unkempt facial hair that put Dusty's to shame. An aged face, wrinkled from the sheer number of times he smiled for his baby girl.  
"D-daddy...?" Victoria barely managed to say, a tearful smile on her face.

However, Headshot did not smile in return. His face was crooked with suspicion and confusion. It was as though he saw right through her.  
"You..." he uttered in his deep voice. "You're the one I'm to free... How to be done. How to be done..."  
Victoria ran up to the hole and pressed her hands to the sides of it, staring closely into his face. "Daddy! It's me, Victoria! I've been looking for you for so long. So long..."  
Makarus still did not flinch. "Guardian of raven hair. I've waited... How is the Interloper to save you... How...?"  
By this point, Victoria had started to become perplexed, and very worried. She could see her father right before her eyes, and yet, it was a completely different man. Why did he look so lifeless? His eyes so blank and out of focus? Why did he not even seem to react upon seeing her? Did he even recognize her?  
"Daddy..." she tried again. "You know me. You know who I am, don't you? I'm your daughter, Victoria. Remember? ...Please, show me that you know who I am..."  
Headshot did not bat an eye. He did not open his mouth. He did not change his expression in any way. Instead, he resumed talking to himself, and in an odd move, merely turned away and began walking away from the window.

"Daddy!!" Victoria cried out. "DADDY!! Daddy, don't leave me! Don't leave...!!" The rest of her words were drowned out by her chokes and sobs. In a futile effort to bring him back, she thrust her arm through the hole. She managed to grab his shoulder, and when she did, she held on tight, praying that he wouldn't let go.  
"Oh my..." they heard him say. "This... No! NO! This is the dark relic! Cursed by the Devil himself! You must not wear it! You must not! I free you now, Guardian! I free you now...!"

Victoria was surprised to feel her father suddenly jerk her arm forcefully. He pulled and tugged so hard that her shoulder started throbbing in pain.  
"What are you doing to me, dad?! What are you doing?! Stop it! STOP!! PLEASE!!"

She then felt something being pulled clean off her hand.  
Her bracelet. The one Dusty had given her as an apology gift just a day ago.  
Having just about reached the breaking point, Victoria looked through the hole once more. She examined her father, ripping the bracelet apart. Every tiny diamond sprinkled onto the stone floor. The pink pearl, which cracked right in two. Headshot screamed and screamed as he dismantled the delicate piece of jewelry. After several seconds, he turned back to the hole and met Victoria's gaze. With a face as serious as death, he marched back over and stared her in the face.  
"Go now!" he commanded. "All four of you! Guardians of strong arm, raven hair, stache... The Sorrowborne Hunter. The Interloper's role if fulfilled! Now go!"  
Seeing her father yelling in her face, Victoria couldn't take it anymore._ "He doesn't love me anymore," _was the first thought to cross her mind. _"Something has happened to him. His mind is warped. And now, he doesn't even know his own daughter when I'm right here..."  
_  
Something amazing suddenly began to happen. Slowly at first, but surely. The muffled silence Victoria had been hearing for the last several hours began to break away. Faintly, the sounds of her father's shouts became more and more distinct. Her deafness... Fading away, like magic.  
A miracle, no doubt. A wave of ecstacy passed over her body. She was freed from her plague...  
And when her hearing finally returned to full fruition...  
"GO! GO NOW! GO!"

Victoria couldn't believe her ears. Headshot's face was beet red, his eyes wild with anxiety and insanity. He was telling her right to her face to leave, as though he never hoped to see her again.  
"DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME?! I SAID GO!! GET OUT OF HERE!!"  
"Daddy!" she pleaded. "Why won't you listen to me?! Why are you pushing me away?! I don't understand!!"  
"The Prophecy needs to be fulfilled! The Seed to be blessed before evil consumes all! Now GO!!"  
"But Daddy-!!"  
"GOOOOOOOOO!!"

At once, Victoria's heart split in two. She backed away from the window slowly, away from the crazed imposter posing as her loving father. She could barely see through the water seeping up through her eyes. Samus and Malik tried to tend to her as she started to feel dizzy. Dusty immediately jumped in front of the hole and started yelling right back into Headshot's face. About what, Victoria couldn't be sure.  
All she was sure of was that her life's meaning how now been completely lost...

Malik found himself at wit's end with this lunatic, not even recognizing his own child as she cried for him. "Dis ain't fair, yo! Dis just ain't fair! Don't you worry Victoria. Imma talk some sense inta this nutcase. I swear it!"  
He zoomed through the water towards the stone window, where Dusty and Headshot were still arguing fiercely. Dusty was clearly hoping to shout some sense into Headshot's head too, trying to make him open his eyes and realize Victoria was there. Headshot, however, only rebutted by ordering Dusty and the others to get going with the mission. The man seemed all but unshakable.  
"Dammit, dawg!" Malik shouted at Headshot. "Git yo' ass up in heah!" Gripping the sides of the hole, he used every muscle in his arms to break away a large chunk of the wall and make the hole wide enough for a body to squeeze through. He then reached in, snagged Headshot by the collar of his red Hunter suit, and pull him through. Headshot protested madly, but couldn't resist Malik's immeasurable arm strength. Within seconds, he was forced through the hole, and into the cell of the four Hunters, where he promptly fell down and splashed into the water.

Malik and Dusty cooperated to lift him up onto his knees by holding his shoulders, and positioned him so he was facing Victoria and Samus. Samus, in turn, turned Victoria's body to face Headshot.  
"Look at her!" Dusty ordered the senile man. "Look at her, and KNOW her! You do! I know you do!"  
"Seriously man, don't let dis whole Seed thang make you fo'get wass important to ya!" Malik said. "Don't you remember who she is?"  
Headshot gazed into the wet, hazel eyes of the young, raven-haired woman before him. His eye twitched involuntarily.  
"Dad..." Victoria barely whispered. "You've been gone for four months... Every second, your welfare consumed me. I can't recall a time that, way in the back of my head, I wasn't praying for you. I never forgot about you. Please, don't tell me you've forgotten about me..."  
It was unclear what he was thinking, but if one had to guess, he still saw her as no more than a key figure in the Prophecy, and not as a daughter.

"You must all go!" he exclaimed, rising to his feet and breaking Dusty and Malik's hold. "You all must go NOW! The cell door! The cell door blacks your way! I'll show YOU! YAAAGGGHHHHH!!"  
In a speed that couldn't be called anything but blinding, Headshot whipped out his rifle, aimed at the door, and fired a shot. The bullet pierced the metal door, effectively blowing the padlock on the other side to pieces.  
"Take THAT, SPACE PIRATE!! How's it feel to lose your HEAD, huh?! I am HEADSHOT!! The INTERLOPER!! MAY THE DEVIL NEVER TAKE HIS TOLL-!!"

What happened next was unexplainable. Headshot's voice was suddenly cut off, as though an invisible hand had clamped around his throat to shut off his passage of air. His breathing became struggled, and he clasped his hands on his chest. Losing his balance, he fell back on his rear.  
His wild eyes grew dim, and rolled into the back of his head.  
And a second later, fell the rest of the way backwards into the water with a splash.

"DADDY!!" Victoria shrieked. She leapt forward and dropped down on her knees right beside him. She scooped her hands under his head and lifted it up from beneath the surface. His eyes were now closed, his mouth now hung slightly open, as if to say some unspoken words. The worst was feared for him...  
"Daddy...?" she questioned softly.  
He did not respond in any way.  
"Daddy?!" Victoria tried one more.  
He still did not open his eyes.  
"Daddy... please don't..." she shuddered. "Please..."

"Oh no..." Samus said to herself. She hastily made her way over and knelt down beside Headshot as well. She felt for a pulse, which she did manage to feel. However, it was much slower than it should have been, and was slowing down. "Malik," she ordered, "You're the medicinal expert here! What's happened to him?"  
"I dunno," Malik said, severely shaken. "But from da look o' it, I'd guess it was a haht attack..."  
"No..." Victoria quivered. "Don't let it be true. Don't let it be..." She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing the hot liquid to seep out the corners. Under her breath, she silently murmured, "God help him..."

Malik slowly wheeled himself over to pay his deepest condolences and respects, but just couldn't find the words to say.  
Dusty, with perhaps the saddest face any of them had ever seen him wear, lowered himself down beside Headshot as well, next to Victoria. He reached out and placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "C'mon man," he said softly. "You don't know what's it been like for Victoria. She's been through too much to make this moment possible. She's the most pitiable girl I know, but at the same time, the bravest and most precocious. To endure all that she's had to endure, just to find you... C'mon man, don't go like this. Victoria's done too much... it wouldn't be very grateful of you to break her heart..."  
As touching as Victoria found Dusty's speech to be, she was afraid he was already to late. Her heart was already broken, and nothing more could be done about it. "God help him..." she repeated through her sorrowful breaths.

She then stood up, just wanting to get away. Needing to get away. Dusty and Samus, not entirely sure what to do, both helped to keep Headshot's head above water. To them, it seemed the least they could do.

A cough made everyone snap back into reality. Another cough followed, and a sputter.  
All four of them stared into Headshot's face. To their surprise, they witnessed his mouth open slightly, his cheeks flinch, and his eyes open ever so narrowly.  
"Oghh... Ogghhh..."  
Samus was so shocked she could hardly comprehend what she was seeing. "...Headshot? Makarus? Are you...?"  
Headshot's dazed eyes looked into Samus' helmet. A look of excitement barely managed to force its way through his deathly face. "Samus... S-samus Aran?"

She was struck almost completely speechless. "Um, yes sir. I am..."  
"Oh, the g-greatest Hunter in the universe! It's such... an honor..." he wearily lifted his hand. Samus hesitantly, and blissfully, took it. "Oh my... thank you, sir. I, too, had been hoping to meet you."  
"Well met..." he replied with a tired chuckle.

Headshot's focus then shifted, his eyes turning to a different figure. A figure standing over him and looking down. A figure with long black hair and a disbelieving face. It was a face that, in his poor state, he couldn't quite make out. He watched as the figure slowly lowered itself, the hauntingly familiar face coming closer. The beautiful, youthful face of a woman that he was sure he knew, a long, long time ago.  
At last, she came into his vision, and he could see clearly for the first time...  
"Victoria...?"

Victoria leaned in close to her father's face. The life in his eyes, though horribly faded, just had that twinkle that she could recall. She bit her lip, for she feared her sorrowful tears would soon become ones of happiness. "Yeah, Daddy. It's me. I've finally found you. I'm so happy..." Headshot smiled joyously, a drop coming from his own eye as well. He reached up with a shaky hand, and ran his fingers through her soft, lovely hair.  
"Victoria," he whispered. "My baby... It's been so long..."  
Victoria nodded, and clasped his hand between her own two. The entire room appeared brighter at that moment. The feeling of hope being born anew. The most glorious feeling in the world...

Makarus struggled to laugh one more time. "My baby girl..."  
Over the course of the following seconds, it was noticed by all that the joy in his face had slowly begun to die away. His heartfelt smile, melting down into nothing.  
As much as he may have tried to hold on, his hand soon slipped from Victoria's own.  
And his vision of Victoria remained, as he closed his eyes for the last time...

All in the cell was silent as the grave for the following moments, save for the gentle motions of the waves. Victoria continued to wade on her knees, and stared at the face of her father. She did not speak. She did not move. She did not turn away. The only movement was the tear that steadily snaked down her cheek before falling off her chin and with a plop into the water. For an eternity, she stayed, just looking forlornly.  
"It was meant to happen, Victoria..." Samus assured in a soothing voice. "The Prophecy... it said the Interloper would help free you from the darkness in his final hour. I'm afraid... he's fulfilled his role now. It was his last ambition. I'm so sorry..."  
Victoria seemed to be listening, but didn't so much as even turn to look at Samus. She continued to watch over her father, as though in prayer.  
She reached forward and wrapped her arms around his body's back...  
And pulled him in close, embracing him.

Samus stood up, and looked at Malik, whose cheeks were already dripping wet. Dusty had his head pressed against the wall and was slamming his fist on it madly. His muffled cries could be heard distinctly. Just minutes before, the cell had been filled with feelings of hate and murder. And now, what had it become but a secret, sorrowful place of mourning.  
Mourning for a man, and the friend who had lost him.

With a ponderous heart, Samus walked over to the cell door and gave it a push. Makarus' aim had truly been phenomenal. The door swung open easily, the remains of the padlock scattered on the floor.  
"Well..." she told everyone, "I can tell Headshot was sincere about everything he said. And if he was right about one thing, it was that this mission needs to go on. The final battle's almost upon us now, but we have to be there to fight it. Let's go everybody. Headshot was heroic enough to fulfill his role. It's now our time to fulfill our own."  
Malik nodded and rolled over to the cell door. "Ah'm ready, Samus. Less kick some tail - fo' Headshot's sake! Among othahs!"

Victoria, however, simply refused to let go of her father's body. She seemed to be completely shut off from the rest of the world. Her eyes closed, imagining herself in younger days when he used to hug her and make her feel protected. She mouthed the words _'I love you'_, over and over again.  
Dusty, too, was reluctant to go. It made him feel guilty and sad to think about leaving Victoria alone in the state she was in.  
Samus crossed her arms and sighed. What was she to do now...?

"Samus," Malik said, "I hate ta make 'em leave, but... Ah really think we'll need 'em to come wid us."  
"I know," Samus told him, "But, just look at her. I can't bear to make her leave him like this. Poor girl. To work so hard to find him, only to have him die right in front of her..."  
"Yeah... An' look at Dusty, too. I ain't never woulda guessed I'd see 'im so sad. He must really like Victoria a lots, huh?"  
"Well of course. He's in love with her, no doubt. I can see why. She's a very smart and passionate young woman. Oh, it all just makes me feel so much worse..."  
"I hear ya. Really. But... what're we gonna do? SHOULD we just let 'em stay?"

Samus stood with her arms crossed and her head down. It was unclear whether she was trying to think about what decision to make, or whether she had already made the decision and was trying to work up the courage to express it. After nearly a full minute, she lifted her head, and spoke.  
"Victoria? I need you to listen to me. You don't have to let go of your father just yet. I just need you to hear me."  
Victoria did just that. She kept her arms around Headshot's body, but at the same time, opened her eyes and ears.  
"Victoria, it's time to go. As a Bounty Hunter, the mission at hand is your top priority. I understand you only joined the ranks of the Hunters to gain the privilege to find Headshot, but... I'm afraid nothing more can be done for him now. He's gone, and there's nothing you or I can do. If anything, please find comfort in the fact that you were at least able to find him alive. And that, in his last moment, he recognized you for who you truly were to him. It may seem to make the whole ordeal more depressing than it should have been, but trust me... One day you'll think back to this memory when you're older, and realize how joyful the moment was. His death was inevitable. His realization of who you are was not. Be grateful that it happened."

Victoria didn't say a word, and merely continued to stare at Samus while holding her father's body in a loving embrace. She didn't seem entirely convinced by what Samus was trying to make her understand. Samus realized, and decided that, perhaps, what Victoria needed was sympathy.  
"Victoria, both my parents were taken from me when I was a young girl, too. On this very planet, in fact. My father was killed in an explosion. He didn't even have time to say good-bye. My mother was dragged into the dark of the night, never to be seen again. And though I was young, I was old enough to understand it, and grieve for them. I was rescued from death by the Chozo, but even then, my ambitions weren't satisfied nor my sadness cleansed. The Chozo realized this, and built me a suit... a suit whose power is fueled by my sorrow. My ultimate weapon..." She paused for a long while, to allow the words to sink in. "...How did your mother die, Victoria?"  
Victoria was slow to answer, but thankfully, Samus's tale appeared to soften her, and make her faintly see that Samus knew how she felt. "...Cancer."  
"When?"  
"When I was ten..."  
"And your two brothers? What happened to them?"  
Victoria's eyes had begun to water even more. "...Killed in the Kricken Wars."  
"How long ago?"

"J-just a... f-few years..."  
"And now Makarus..."  
Victoria slowly nodded, gripping his body more tightly than before.

Samus lowered her tone to barely above a whisper. "It's OK to be sad, Victoria. Be sad. But sorrow alone isn't enough to get by. As hard as it may be, you have to change your view to see the things that make you sad in a new light. You have to convert them sometimes, to anger. And sometimes, even to happiness..."  
Samus looked at Dusty, who was still leaning against the wall. "Dusty? You would know better than any of us. Victoria's family... they've gone to a better place, haven't they?"  
Dusty swallowed heavily. "Yeah Vicki, she's right. There's a beautiful place out there. A place where the spirits of those who have died go to live in purity and happiness. Sounds like a fairy tale, and it should, cuz it's the place fairy tales are inspired by. And they watch over us, Vicki. They're watchin' over you right now, for sure. And believe me, they understand how you're feeling, but they wouldn't want you hugging a dead body. Cuz it ain't your dad anymore. It's just a body. Your REAL dad is probably waiting for you to stop grieving and do what you're meant to do."

"...Turn your sorrow into power..." Samus said softly. "Just as I have done. And use it to fulfill your destiny."

She took out her medal depicting the Chozo symbol, the one she'd been awarded years ago. "Do you still have yours?"  
Victoria shook her head slowly. "...I left it With Mr V after he died..."  
"He didn't DIE, Vicki," Dusty assured her. "He's gonna be OK. I told you."  
"Well, I left it with him anyway..." Victoria responded.  
Samus sighed and looked at the medal. Then, without much thought, flung it in Victoria's direction. It splashed into the water next to her and sank to the bottom.

Victoria looked down at it, and back up at Samus. She loosened her grasp on her father's body and let him slide back a bit. She looked into his face, lifeless as stone. Despite her sadness, she found comfort in Dusty's words that this was only a body, and that Makarus' spirit was in paradise, watching over her. Just a few days ago, she would have scoffed at such a story. But now, it made her feel so peaceful. This must have been that thing they called faith...

Reluctantly, but contently, she allowed the body to slip from her hands and sink into the water.  
And then, with her free hands, she reached for the medal and fished it out from underneath the surf. She studied it closely, recalling its meaning.  
She looked up at Samus with a tear-filled smile. "...Thank you, Samus."  
Samus smiled back. "How do you feel?"  
She stood up, and nodded her head. "I feel ready."

"YEEE-HAAAWWWW!!" Dusty exclaimed, raising his fist in the air. "That's what I'm TALKIN' about!" He immediately ran over and gave Victoria a big hug. "I'm so proud of you, Vicki! You got no idea!"  
"And thank you too, Dusty," she replied. For the first time, Dusty hugging her actually felt lovely.

Malik wiped away another tear, and quickly drew his pistol. "A'ight! So whass the plan, Samus?"  
Samus readied her Arm Cannon. "The plan..." she announced diligently, "...Is to save the universe."  
"Uh, umm... a-alright. Thass cool. But whass da first step?"

He, Dusty, and Victoria all waited for an answer. Samus equipped her Missiles, and held her head up high. "The first step... Is to kick some good, old-fashioned, Space Pirate ass!"

* * *

"So Bob, how was the meeting yesterday?"  
"Oh, it was dreadful, Larry. We spent the first half of it discussing how the construction projects on 'Meta-Kraid' were coming along, and spent the second half arguing about whether the Nacho Cheese or Cooler Ranch Doritos were better."  
"Yeesh, that sucks, bro. Curious, though - what's the scoop on Meta-Kraid?"  
"Well, I wasn't really paying attention, but we're for sure gonna bring him back in time for Metroid Prime 3. They're saying we have to cuz some weird alien race called 'The Fanboys' would evidently blow the living crap out of us all if we didn't."  
"Really? That's interesting. I wonder if he's ever gonna get to fight alongside RidleeeaaaAAAGHH!!"

Larry the Space Pirate was unfortunately cut off because he was at the receiving end of an Ice Beam shot. A Missile came flying a second later and blew his frozen body to bits. Bob had no time to run. A pistol bullet struck him in the eye, and he was immediately knocked down and stampeded by several heavy metal feet.  
Within minutes, the ancient building had become a war zone once again. An orchestra of gunshots, explosions, and cries of injury and death roared throughout the air. Samus, Malik, Dusty, and Victoria had all ran out into the lobby and began blowing every Pirate around them into oblivion. The Pirates approached from all directions, wielding laser guns and energy scythes. Many leapt from the staircases above to make dive-bomb attacks. _"Protect the Seed!" _They shouted. _"Don't let it fall again into the hands of the enemy! Put them back into their prison!" _

Samus curled into her Morph Ball and began to zoom through the crowd of enemies, laying endless amounts of bombs at their feet. This created the perfect distraction for the others to land some kills.

Malik essentially threw away his pistol early on and proceeded to use his brute arm force to smack the Space Pirates out of consciousness one by one. "Yeah, DASS right! Bring it, ya'll! BRING it! Fight me like a man! I'm da Guardian o' strong arm, baby!" On one occasion, he grabbed two Pirates in each arm and smacked their heads together, a move he used several times thereafter.

Victoria tried to keep her distance from the Pirates by straying into a corner, but miraculously she hadn't the slightest bit of fear in her. She aimed and fired with her pistol, over and over again, and with accuracy startling even to herself. Anytime a Pirate with a laser aimed at any of her partners, they would suffer a hole right through the head before they even knew it. The number of shots to the head she made was staggering, and she knew who to thank for it.

Dusty was just having a blast. Mixing his fine shooting skills with his martial arts prowess with his ridiculously big mouth, he could make crowds of Pirates part with ease. "You know the best way to keep Pirates from chargin'?!" he shouted. "TAKE AWAY THEIR CREDIT CARDS!! HA!!"  
"That's the stupidest joke ever!" A Pirate shouted in response, holding his scythe to Dusty's chest. Dusty flashed him an offended glare. "Shut up, asswipe!" He popped the bastard in the jaw and roundhouse kicked him in the dick, Chuck Norris-style. he then proceeded to whip out his pistol and start shooting like crazy while whooping like an Indian. All the other Pirates backed away out of sheer anxiety.

The foyer of the building was blanketed with the bodies of dead and dying Space Pirates in a stunningly short time. However, the rites of the Seed were no doubt taking place on the top floor, where the altar was supposed to be. There was every possibility that they were too late, but they had to make the attempt. Samus quickly returned to bipedal form and began to run up the steps. "Follow me, everybody! Stay close! And show no mercy!"

As the four ascended the great ten-story staircase, many more Pirate forces were being dispatched from above, sent running down the steps to vanquish the heroes. Shots were fired by Samus, Dusty, and Victoria to keep them all at bay. Malik climbed the steps using his arms, pulling his wheels and the rest of his body up behind him. Whenever necessary, though, he would hoist himself up to savagely beat and throw any Pirates over the rail that got too close. At one point, a pair of Pirates flying with jetpacks came hovering down the shaft, each launching a pair of minibombs that blew away the staircase railing right next to the four heroes. Before the Flying Pirates could finish them off, though, Victoria quickly and expertly blew both their heads clean off, causing their bodies to careen all the way down to the bottom and blow up any remaining troops below. She smiled proudly and clenched her fist, but Dusty reminded her that they needed to keep climbing.

After an excruciatingly long and difficult ascent, the team soon found itself only one story below the altar. At long last, a single last loop of stairway and they would be there to foil Reaper's plan!  
They're hopes were shattered, however, when a lone Space Pirate holding a large time bomb stepped out and stood at the peak of the staircase. Not a second later, the bomb exploded, showering rocks and dust all down and through out the stairway.  
Samus then heard a very loud and distinct crackling...  
And jumped back as a huge chunk of stone rubble from above crashed right in front of her, almost knocking down everyone behind her.  
"Samus, da stairs! They're comin' down!" Malik shouted over the noise.

It was true. The top spiral of stairs threatened to come crumbling down and cause all the others to follow suit in a lethal pancake effect. There was no visible escape...  
"Mmm... pancakes..." Dusty murmured.  
"Are you CRAZY?!" Victoria screamed at him. "Samus, what're we gonna do?!"

Samus looked up the stairwell, and noticed a fancy chandelier hanging in the center of the ceiling. It's webbed design made her wonder, could her Grapple Bram attach? It appeared to be in range, but if she ended up having to hang from it, she'd have to hold the weight of all the others as well. Perhaps just running like the wind up the rest of the way was the best option. Hasty thinking was needed. The heavy stone stairs directly above looked like they would give way any second...

"Malik, grab my hand!" Samus ordered. Without waiting for him, she reached over and gripped it With her right hand. "Dusty, grab Malik's! Victoria, grab Dusty's!"  
Trusting Samus's judgment, they all took one another's hands.  
"Now hold on tight!!" Samus commanded. The half of the flight of stairs directly overhead was already beginning to crash down. Not sparing any time, she aimed her Grapple Beam at the chandelier and uttered a short prayer. When the familiar 'L' symbol appeared in her visor, she gratefully nodded, and fired. The beam fired out and hooked seamlessly onto the crystal structure.  
Samus shouted one last order: "JUMP!!"  
She herself pulled Malik roughly and leapt over the stair railing. Dusty and Victoria pulled Malik by his other side and jumped off as well. Malik, who was the last to go airborne, just barely escaped being crushed beneath several tons of stone by mere inches, as the staircase from above fell with a huge _CRASH!! _  
Samus retracted the Grapple Beam, pulling the group upwards, to prevent from swinging too far. Malik right below her, followed by Dusty, and lastly Victoria, hanging at the bottom of the chain, her feet dangling above the shaft. All four watched at the destruction below as stone staircase after stone staircase fell upon one another. After several seconds, the chain reaction resulted in a pile of crushed stone and debris three stories thick. A perpetual cloud of dust rose from the wreckage. No life, Space Pirate or otherwise, had been spared.

"Sweet mother..." Dusty mouthed as he hung freely. "You know WE'D have been dead..."  
"Observant, as usual, Dusty," Samus said sarcastically.  
"Thanks for pullin' me over da stairs, ya'll," Malik sighed. "Glad you remembered I ain't got nothin' but these damned wheels..."  
"No problem," Dusty replied. "And hey, speaking of which... How'd you keep up with us going up the stairs, anyway?! You freak!"  
"...Dese damned ahms," Malik replied with a laugh.  
"Umm, guys?" Victoria asked, fear in her voice. "Can we please do something? We're really, REALLY high..."  
"Just stay calm, Victoria," Samus said calmly, trying to figure a way out of the predicament. "I'm sure Dusty would kill himself if ever ever let you fall."  
"You know it!" Dusty chirped. "Don't you worry about a thing, beautiful! I ain't NEVER gonna let you go!"

The strength provided to her by her suit allowed Samus to hold the other three up with one arm. Nonetheless, her arm was beginning to cramp painfully, and she knew he couldn't hold them forever. They needed to find a way to reach the door to the altar, and quickly. She could see the door at her level, directly across from her. The staircase that once led right to it had fallen, however, so it remained suspended in an unreachable spot.  
Or so it seemed...

"OK guys, hear me out," she told her three partners. "See that door over there? That's our destination."  
"How we gonna git dere, though, Samus?"  
"Easy. Victoria?"  
"Uh, y-yeah?"  
"All four of us are going to start swinging. When we get high enough, at the peak of the swing, you should get really close. When that happens, I need for you to grab the knob and open it, and the second time around, let go and leap through. You got that?"  
Victoria gulped, taking another look at the long drop down. Eventually, though, she looked up and Samus and nodded. "Yeah, I got it."  
"Alright. Everyone, start swinging!"

All four of them began to shift their weight and momentum, turning their chain of bodies into an elaborate pendulum. Slowly and lowly at first, but gaining higher and higher air with each swing. Samus had to grit her teeth to endure the pain in her arm as she struggled to hold them all up. Thankfully, though, Victoria would be level with the door in just a few more swings. With her off, the load would lose a few pounds.  
At last, the bottom of the chain was at the optimal level. As they swung away from the door, Victoria felt her leg touch the opposite wall. After the brief pause, the wind began to rush past again as she started swinging towards the wall with the door. The door itself quickly sped up to her. Holding her breath, she let one hand go of Dusty's and reached for the knob.  
She missed.  
"No! Dammit!" she cursed under her breath.

"Victoria! What happened?!" Samus called hoarsely.  
"I missed, Samus! I'm sorry!"  
"Well, try again this time! And please hurry! I can barely hold on anymore!"  
Victoria bit her lip as she sailed backwards. Everyone was depending on her to do this one thing right. At the peak of the backwards swing, she kicked off the wall, speeding her up.  
The door zoomed in front of her vision. With a wave of hope, she reached out her hand...  
And grabbed the doorknob!

However, as the rest of the gang began to swing back again, she wasn't thinking and accidentally let her grip on Dusty's hand loosen.  
"Vicki! NO!!" he shouted as her hand left his.  
Suddenly, she was left hanging onto only the doorknob, suspended over nothing. Worse yet, it began to twist under her weight. Letting out a scream, she reached up and held on with both her hands. The doorknob twisted all the way, and the door suddenly swung outward. She kicked her feet frantically as she was thrown out over the high shaft, trying to make the door close again. "Oh my God! HELP ME!!"

As the chain of Hunters swung back to the door again, Dusty released Malik's hand and made a daring leap through the now open doorway. He barely made the jump and ended up landing flat on his face. Brushing himself off, he stood up and reached out for the doorknob on his side of the door. He pulled the door inwards a bit and reached around the other side for Victoria's hand. Verily, he ended up touching her breast by accident.  
"Huh??" he wondered.  
"DUSTY!!"  
He grinned to himself. "Vicki, I've got your hand, yeah? I'll hold on tight!"  
"Dusty, help me up NOW!!"  
"Wait, this isn't your hand? Then it must be... Whoa! My bad!" He quickly felt for were her hands would be, and when he felt them, gripped hard and pulled her in through the doorway. He pulled her hard, deliberately, and she ended up falling onto him. He caught her and held her in his arms.  
"Man," he laughed. "This is embarrassing..."

She regained her balance and stood up, giving him an annoyed look. "Hmph. Well thanks for feeling me up..."  
"Don't you mean thanks for saving your life?"  
Victoria crossed her arms, but her face softened up a bit. "...Yeah, and that too, I guess."  
Dusty chuckled again. "Heheh... Ya know, you looked pretty funny hanging by that doorknob and flailing around all crazy. You shoulda seen your face!"  
Victoria smiled a little bit to herself, knowing it was true. But she would never let Dusty know it. "Whatever. Can we be a little mature now and help the others?"

Turns out the others needed no help. Samus lowered the Grapple Beam's length, thereby lowering Malik to the level of the door. With some difficulty, he managed to grab the edges of the doorway and pull himself through. When he did, he was laughing his ass off. "Dusty, you crazy sonofa horse! You find the WEIRDEST times ta flirt wid this girl! I swear! Ain't I right, Victoria? How do you put up wit this guy? HaHA!"  
Victoria nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he really needs some coaching in that department, doesn't he?"  
"Tell me about it," Samus said, after gracefully leaping through the doorway herself. "If any man grabbed MY breast while I was hanging for dear life, I would kick him in the head."  
Dusty shrugged and grinned. "Hey, ya gotta love unpredictability!"

The four studied their surroundings. The door they'd leapt through had led to a spacious metal room. The telltale hologram floating in the middle told Samus right away - an elevator. She took the liberty of stepping into the hologram. The entire platform jerked, rattled, and began to quickly ascend.  
How strange, they thought. From the outside, the building only appeared about ten stories tall, and the elevator itself had been stationed at the top floor. How could this elevator be taking them any higher...?  
Before any of them had time to ponder over the enigma, the lift came to a rough and sudden stop. The doors that opened led to a white, narrow, dimly-lit hallway. The only light, it seemed, was sunlight, coming from the far end. It was clear that's where they had to go. As usual, Samus walked ahead, Arm Cannon ready, and instructed the others to follow. Malik, Dusty, and Victoria, in that order, did just that.

As the group traveled the length of the hallway, they began to hear strange sounds emanating from the room beyond.  
The sound of waves. Ocean waves, crashing against rock...  
The sound of Reaper's voice speaking ever so softly and discreetly, his words reaching them only as whispers...  
Scythe's faint whimpering could be heard as well, the whimpering of an innocent one in pain...  
And then, a sound that struck instant disgust and fear into Samus's heart. A hauntingly familiar squealing sound. The sound of a monster she long hunted and detested...  
Upon hearing this, she began to quicken her pace. Into a fast walk at first, then into a jog, and finally, into a full sprint. The others stayed directly behind her, for when Samus ever acted even a little bit nervous, they knew had every reason to be absolutely terrified.

At long last, the hallway ended, and Samus stopped running. She found herself in a humongous, dazzling white architecture constructed of marble. The structure itself appeared more like a large gazebo that hung out over the ocean. She could see that the sun was beginning to set over the horizon, turning the vast sea into a fiery red layer of motion.  
And atop the pedestal in the middle, situated up a 100-step flight of marble stair, was Reaper. Scythe lay on the altar, crying and shaking his limbs, begging to be set free. Reaper stared down at him, a look on his face cold and serious, even for a Space Pirate.  
Malik, Dusty, and Victoria all ran in behind Samus seconds later. All four stood close as a group, and stared up at the scene above.

They watched as Reaper said a few more silent words over Scythe, as though voicing a sincere thank you. He then reached down and pulled up a large, metal container. Without hesitation, he pulled the lid off. A cloud of chilly mist burst from within and evaporated into the atmosphere. Reaper then reached deep inside to pull out the spoil...  
Samus groaned in anger-filled understanding.  
Malik swallowed and shook his head. Dusty uttered an obscenity under his breath.  
Victoria covered her mouth with her hands...

Reaper had pulled out a Metroid. Cold-contained, as to keep it from running amok, yet still capable of using its hellish jaws to suck the very life energy out of anything unfortunate enough to become caught in their grasp...  
Scythe's innocent, babyish cries grew more tense and afraid. Reaper, however, was to show no form of mercy. With another silent message and a look out towards the heavens, he looked down upon Scythe's frightened face.  
His maw curved into a wicked, pleased smile as he held the Metroid over Scythe's abdomen...  
What was he planning?! The question raced through their minds.  
Whatever it was, it was something that had to be stopped. That much was certain...

Samus's first instinct was to fire a shot at Reaper, but if she used too potent a weapon, Scythe was in danger of being injured as well. Therefore, she equipped her Ice Beam, aimed up the hundred-stair climb, and locked onto the Metroid in Reaper's hand.  
She fired. The Ice Beam bullet traveled the distance and zeroed in on the Metroid, which was being lowered upon Scythe's body ever so slowly.  
The beam would reach in time. It had to...

However, something unexpected happened. Just when the beam was mere feet from striking the Metroid and Reaper's hand, it suddenly burst and evaporated, as though from hitting an invisible wall. It succeeded in catching Reaper's attention long enough to halt his ritual. He pulled the Metroid back and looked up in alarm from his work.  
"What? Impossible..." Samus muttered. Feeling less merciful, but still careful for Scythe's welfare, she targeted the Metroid once more and let loose a stream of Power Beam shots. Every single shot pelted and vanished on the invisible forcefield that surrounded Reaper and Scythe at the peak of the altar.  
"No way! That's not cool! Scythe, buddy! I'm coming!" Dusty exclaimed. He charged into a sprint and began to surge up the steps three at a time. Just as he would have set foot on the final step, he felt his face become plastered hard against the transparent barrier. With a groan, he fell backwards and tumbled all the way back down the steps. Victoria quickly ran to his aid.  
"What happened??" she asked frantically.  
"I'm not sure..." he said groggily, sitting up, "But it hurt like a bitch...!"

Reaper chuckled loudly enough for all below to hear. "No, please! Keep trying to breach our defenses. This is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time!"  
Samus ignored his pettiness and opted to get straight to the point. "What are you planning to do with that Metroid, Reaper?!"  
"Isn't it obvious?" he answered coolly. "For the Prophecy to come true, they simply cannot share the same body..."  
"Same body...?" Malik responded confoundly. "What're ya talkin' about, foo?"  
Reaper shook his head slowly. "Don't tell me you haven't figured it out by now..."  
"Stop talking in riddles and just cut to the chase, already!" Samus demanded.  
"Oh, just a couple more riddles. Please?" Reaper pleaded. "Afterwards, I won't ask for anymore. I promise. Now, it's long been known that both Seeds were out there somewhere, among the vast reaches of the universe. We've also long known that one of those coveted entities had settled in the belly of our friend Scythe, here. Now then, answer me this - which Seed is the one within this body? God's? Or Satan's?"  
"God's?" Dusty guessed, climbing to his feet.

"Satan's?" was Samus's reply.  
"Imma guess God's..." said Malik.  
"I've been thinking for a long time now that it was the Evil Seed..." Victoria mused.

Reaper just nodded with each answer given. "Congratulations. You are all correct."

Samus was the first to realize, as it struck her through the brain like lightning. "...Of course. It all adds up. Both Seeds...?"  
"That's right, well done..." Reaper said, delicately clapping his hands. "Both God's Seed and the Devil's Seed ended up in the same body. The body of our unfortunate general, Scythe. Would he perhaps be called lucky? Or the opposite? I, personally, would just call him a... 'Victim of Circumstance'. Hm-hm..."  
"How will a Metroid help you separate The Seeds?" Victoria questioned.  
"Care for a visual?" was Reaper's only response. That said, he smiled his evil smile once more and, after raising the sluggish Metroid up over Scythe's body, let go and allowed gravity to pull it down.

Almost immediately, the Metroid squealed in delight and sank its mandibles into Scythe's stomach. Scythe exploded in cries and tears, the youth in his voice enough to make the heroes want to grieve for him.

Samus blasted Super Missile after Super Missile, but all exploded upon contact with the forcefield. The Metroid continued to feed in delight as Scythe screamed and screamed. Malik, Dusty, and Victoria all aimed and fired with their own pistols. Their efforts were in vain, for the invisible defense was unpenetrable.  
With each ounce the Metroid sucked out, its body began to fill with an ethereal white light, and Scythe grew more and more calm and at peace...  
Reaper gazed down upon the scene with a wicked pleasure.  
And when at last, he seemed content, he clutched the Metroid and yanked it and its jaws off Scythe's body with a sickening_ RIP!! _  
Scythe made no moves or sounds. He lay on the altar and stared at the marble ceiling With blank eyes.

Reaper examined the Metroid...  
Within its clear membrane, he could see the glowing, pure essence of grace and beauty, throbbing ceaselessly like a heart of heavenly light. He appeared pleased with the results of his ritual, but at the same time, disgusted. Repulsed by the light given off by the contents of the Metroid's stomach. With a sneer, he shoved the Metroid back into its cold-containment capsule and slammed the lid shut.  
He then turned to Scythe, who was still laying lifelessly and staring into space.  
"The spawn of the greatest evil..." he said aloud in a dreamy tone. "Being a representative of your father's greatest plague on this universe, I guide you to your maker. May the balance of justice shift eternally... towards us."

"Reaper!!" Samus cried to the top of the altar. "The Metroid extracted God's Seed, isn't that right?! So they're separated now!! Now tell us what you plan to do!!"  
"I'll tell you what I plan to do with Scythe, here..." Reaper promised. "I will open a rift to Old Major, and thrust him forth. The Seed within will bond with the destructive power of his holy father, and the Apocalypse... the beginning of the end... shall commence."  
"Don't you mean Armageddon?" Dusty called out. "Cuz, ya know, just an FYI... 'Apocalypse' would refer to the dominance of evil in the universe, but 'Armageddon' refers to the final battle between good and evil. So... yeah. Armageddon would be the proper term, thanks."  
"Fool! What will come to pass will hardly qualify as a battle!" Reaper warned. "When the Devil's Seed is channeled its strength and fully matures, he will have the strength to dispose of God's Seed for good even in its hideous, white, ethereal state!"  
"Not unless we get God's Seed to reach maturity first!" Victoria shouted. "We just need to get him his second blessing right here in this temple!"  
"Oh dear me, that's right!" Reaper gasped, putting his claw over his heart. He quickly reverted back to his confident stance. "However, I regret to inform that it just won't happen."  
"Well WE regret to inform YOU dat, uhh... w-we ain't gonna let YOU do none o' what you're plannin' neither!" Malik threatened.  
Reaper could only laugh. "What do you four matter to me anyway?" he inquired. "As far as I'm concerned, you're all already dead."

With the quick flip of the wrist, Reaper withdrew a remote control and pressed a button. Seconds later, the Orpheon suddenly burst forth from beneath the surface of the sea. It maneuvered itself quickly so its side bumped against the marble structure, showering water all over the ground. The side hatch opened wide. Reaper lifted Scythe in one hand and the Metroid container in the other, and made a daring leap off the top of the altar towards the vessel. The four Hunters ran straight for him and fired their weapons without pause, but his protective bubble seemed to travel with him, following his every move, and kept him free from harm before disappearing into the Orpheon's interior. Before any of them could reach the door, it slammed shut, and the ship hastily began its ascent.

However, as the Orpheon reached a height of about one mile above the sea, it abruptly stopped. Those within the temple leaned over the rail above the waves to look up and see why. A hatch on the ship's underside opened, and a large speaker was lowered on a pole. From the speaker came Reaper's devilish voice.  
"_Come on out, big guy. Pummel this shiny, ugly temple into marble dust, along with anyone inside it. You have your orders. Make haste, and make it look good. You'll need the attention if you want to get into Metroid Prime 3._"  
The speaker was then reconcealed, the hatch shut, and the Orpheon resumed its ascent into space.

All was silent at first. Samus, Malik, Dusty, and Victoria all pondered heavily over what they were to do. Reaper now had both Seeds in separate bodies, but still together. Once the Evil Seed acquired its strength, it could kill the Good Seed right away, thus killing off the universe's last hope for balance. They needed to give chase... To bring the Good Seed back to the very temple they stood in and have his second blessing done, so that, at the very least, the two fully matured Seeds could battle for supremacy...  
They needed that Metroid!

Not all was silent for long, however. A faint rumbling began to echo off the walls. The waves of the sea grew more and more restless, and crashed against the side of the temple with reckless abandon. A large shadow spread across the water's surface, but not from something above. Rather, something beneath was rising...  
A monstrous bulge began to rise up from the sea. It built more and more on top of itself, until it was roughly the size of a large house...  
The bulge then burst, sending thunderous waves rippling in all directions...  
And Samus found herself staring into the three eyes of a long-lost adversary.

"Kraid..." she whispered under her breath.

Kraid opened its maw, lined with razor-sharp fangs, and let out a monstrous roar. His roar clearly done through a voice box, he also sported a fully metallic stomach and a partially robotic left arm. His third eye blinked like a yellow siren light. Much like Ridley, he'd undergone severe surgery in cybernetics. Thenceforth, he would be referred to as Meta-Kraid.  
And Meta-Kraid clearly knew how to carry out orders without question, without fail. With a swipe of his robotic arm, he took out a marble column, reducing it to pebbles which rained into the sea and upon the temple floor.

If he destroyed the altar, all hope was lost...  
But if they spent their time protecting the altar, then God's Seed himself would be killed before they could reach him...  
Reaper had hammered the four Hunters into the worst situation imaginable. It seemed the only possible outcome was victory for evil.

Meta-Kraid unleashed another heart-stopping roar and crushed another pillar to marble sand with his robotic arm. Each column he leveled was one less obstacle for him to pass before he could destroy the altar itself. There was little time before that moment came. All four Hunters retreated into the tunnel leading back to the elevator.  
"What're we gonna do, Samus??" Victoria asked desperately.  
"I... I don't know..." Samus replied.  
"Why can't we just fight dat monstah?! He's gonna smash the whole damn place down!"  
"This place is worth nothing without the Seed here. If we stay to fight, it'll be too late. But we have to do SOMEthing..."

Dusty suddenly perked up. "Hey, hey! I've got it! I've got an idea!"  
"What?! What is it?!" they all urged.  
"No time to explain! Just trust me! Samus, Malik - you two stay here and keep Godzilla here at bay. Whatever you do, protect the altar!"  
"What about you? And Victoria?"  
"We'll get the Seed back!"  
Samus, Malik, and even Victoria exchanged worried glances. "What do you mean?" Victoria asked.  
"Same question!" Samus said.  
Meta-Kraid let out another mechanized roar that shook the building.  
"No time!!" Dusty exclaimed. "Just go! Samus, Malik! Get to it!"  
Samus and Malik, looked at one another, asking the other whether they could trust what Dusty was saying. It didn't take long for them both to oblige. With a good luck salute and not another word, the two quickly about faced and hurried out into the gazebo to face the beast.

Once they were gone, Dusty ran over to Victoria and stared her deep in the eyes. "Vicki, you trust me, right?"  
Victoria didn't hesitate. "Yes..."  
"Then let's go!"  
"But wait, what's your plan? Reaper's probably out of the atmosphere by now! How can we catch up?!"  
"I'll explain on the way!!" Dusty grunted, sprinting down the hallway back towards the elevator to Atlantis. "Just keep up!!"  
Victoria took a deep breath and began to run after him. In a situation where the Lord seemed to be their only source of help, it only made sense to trust the man closest to Him...

As the doors closed and the elevator began its descent, Dusty immediately started describing his plan. "OK Vicki, listen to me. We're gonna go back to the Gunship the way we came, and then use the 4D Splitter thing to catch up to the Orpheon. Then, we're gonna intercept it, infiltrate it, nab the Metroid, get it back to the Gunship, fly back here, and get the Seed its final blessing... hopefully all before Reaper reaches Old Major and beefs the Evil Seed up. With me so far?"  
Victoria understood what he was saying, but couldn't help but feel very, very skeptical. "...And what, all assuming that Samus and Malik manage to keep that mecha-lizard monster from destroying the temple??"  
"Exactly."  
"And how can we be sure we'll be able to infiltrate the Orpheon and get the Metroid back?"  
"Can't really be sure. We'll just have to play it by ear."  
"I'm having doubts, Dusty..."  
"Got any better ideas?"  
"Well, no. But..."  
Dusty put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry Vicki, we can make this work. We can win this! It's our destiny, remember? It's what your dad wanted for you."

Victoria bit her lip and looked down morosely. At that moment, the elevator stopped. Dusty darted straight for the door and threw it open, revealing the stairwell in which all the stairs had collapsed to dust just minutes before. Hoping to find a probable way of getting down, he saw what looked to be a solution. To the left, about two stories down, was a significant chunk of a stone staircase still intact, With a now shattered window right next to it. It was difficult to judge if the leap could be made, but it looked to be their only choice. Regardless, he would go first to prove its safety. "OK Vicki, do as I do!" he ordered.  
When he didn't hear a response, he turned back, and saw Victoria had not moved. She went on looking at the ground, sulking silently to herself.  
Dusty slapped his forehead and groaned. Why did he have to mention her father to her at a time like this? He should have known it would slow her down. "Vicki, come on! You can mourn later, but right now, we have to move!! "  
When she still did not move, Dusty sighed heavily and shook his head. How could he convince her to come now?  
It took hardly a second for him to realize...

"Vicki, remember what Samus told you," he said. "View your sorrow in another light. Turn your sorrow into strength. I know you can..."

Something immediately seemed to click within her when Dusty said those words. Her face went from solemn and sad, to deeply thoughtful, and lastly, to pure determination. She looked up to the heavens.

Then back at Dusty.  
And with a nod, ran up behind him.  
"Thanks Dusty..." she said silently.  
"Save it, seriously," Dusty said frantically. "We've got no time. Now follow me!"

With a deep breath and a cry, Dusty crouched down, then threw himself through the door and towards the staircase fragment. The power of his jump surprised him, for he landed with several feet to spare and nearly hurled himself right out the window! He was then pleasantly surprised to feel Victoria crash into his back just a second later. Her bump, though, ended up making him keel over the windowsill and fall right out. He screamed like a maniac all the long way down, but was reassured when he landed in a large bunch of bushes in the courtyard. "How convenient!" he thought to himself. "More so than condoms!"

Victoria, too, landed safely in the bushes right next to him, and the two eventually clawed their way out and bolted through the ruined city streets to the outhouse tunnel through which they entered.

Upon reaching the tunnel, however, Victoria pointed out their problem. "Dusty, how the heck are we gonna get back up there?"  
Dusty stopped in his tracks and looked up. Suspended over a deep pool of water was the entrance to the tunnel leading back up to the outhouse on the surface. Indeed, there seemed to be no way of getting through. He cursed to himself. "Dammit! Alright alright alright, we gotta think of something... OK, here's what we'll do. Vicki, you're light, aren't you? Find something to float in the water with, and I'm gonna jump in and make a wave high enough to splash you right up to the tunnel. Then you can use your fingernails to grab on and climb up, right? It's only a couple hundred feet. As for me, I'll have to construct a ladder to climb up there with. All I'll need is some tape and a whole bunch of paper clips..."  
"Or we could just use these!" Victoria announced.  
When Dusty turned to face her, his jaw dropped when he saw she was carrying a jetpack in each hand. "HOLY mother! Where'd you find those?!"  
"In that pile of weapons over there," she pointed out. Without anymore explanation, she threw one to Dusty.  
Dusty couldn't help but smile, and gazed at her lovingly as she strapped her own jetpack on. "...Now that's what we're talkin' about..." he said to himself, before equipping his own pack.

* * *

Victoria was the first to come bursting out of the outhouse hole. She flew out the door and landed gracefully on the sand, tearing the straps of the pack and throwing it off her. She was relieved to see Samus's Gunship still safely parked right by the shore.

She sighed when she heard that goofy scream echoing from within the latrine, and ran back to make sure Dusty would make it out OK. She looked down the hole, and could see he was, at the very least, getting closer, although he was bouncing off the walls of the tunnel each and every second. When at last he burst from the hole, he flew straight up and blasted right through the wooden ceiling. Victoria followed the sound of his wails and saw him crash land headfirst into the sand, his jetpack still firing away. Sighing again, she sprinted over to him and ripped the jetpack off his body, then helped him get to his feet. He shook his head dizzily and laughed.  
"Man..." he said. "That was a hell of a thing."  
"Great, but try to be less clumsy!" she demanded. "Now let's go! Hurry!"  
"Hurrying!" he promised.

The two hastily hopped onto the top of the Gunship and dropped into the ceiling hatch. Once inside, Dusty grabbed the control stick. "I'll drive!"  
"You sure?" Victoria asked, recalling his piloting skills, or lack thereof.  
"No, but would you be any better?"  
"Me?? No!"  
"Then it's settled. I'm drivin'. You activate the 4D Splitter."

"How does it work??"  
"How should I know? Just press some buttons and figure it out!"  
Knowing there was really no better option, Victoria could only nod. "OK." She grabbed the 4D Splitter and looked it over several times. As she did, she wondered, "Hey Dusty? Do you think Reaper has a 4D Splitter in his ship, too?"  
"I'd bet cash money," he said, revving up the Gunship's engine and getting ready to take off. "Samus got it from one of its safety pods, yeah?"  
"Right. So you think maybe he used it to warp to Old Major?"  
"I'd... bet cash money," Dusty repeated.  
"So you think we should, too?"  
"Well of course, sexy! I mean... dumby! Have you figured it out yet?"  
Victoria was too busy punching some buttons to hear him. "Coordinates of Old Major... 1809 degrees north, 939 degrees east, 29503 degrees down... there!"

And with a final button pressed, a large purple rip could be seen cutting the air through the windshield. The rip opened wide, revealing the throbbing purple void.

Dusty took a second to overcome the shock. He then floored it and sped right into the void. The trip through the 4th dimension was quick and painless, for in no time at all, they found themselves staring at the fiery behemoth that was Old Major, hovering in space before them.  
"Goodness..." Dusty muttered, looking at his watch. "We did ALL that in... like, 6 minutes. We speedy or what?"  
"6 minutes? Wow... But um, where's The Orpheon??"  
"Sensors indicate that it is... right on top of us!"  
"Huh?!"

Dusty and Victoria both leaned over the control panel and looked straight up through the windshield. Indeed, the massive form of the Orpheon hovered directly overhead. It appeared to be sitting dormant with its side facing Old Major. This struck them as odd. What was Reaper planning up there...?  
The next thing they noticed was a vaguely familiar sight. One of the Orpheon's escape pods, several miles away and flying further still. It had been jettisoned from the main craft, and was headed for the blazing surface of Old Major. It was far too late to make any attempt to intersect its path. It would make contact in a matter of seconds.

Dusty and Victoria both put on horrified faces and looked at one another. Immediately, they began to fear the worst. That pod... what else could be aboard it...?  
And the Good Seed... undoubtedly still aboard the Orpheon, in Reaper's clutches. The situation at hand grew more and more desperate with each move made. An elaborate chess game, with the Hunters in a dire check...

* * *

Meta-Kraid's robotic advancements had launched his power level beyond the threshold. With three pillars demolished and out of the way, he was now beginning to claw away at the temple's ground, causing it to break away in chunks and splash into the sea. The altar, atop its hundred-foot stair, was dangerously close to destruction. Samus and Malik did all they could to try and bring him down, or at the very least hold him off until Dusty and Victoria returned. However, even their best efforts may not have been enough.

"Malik, aim for his mouth! His MOUTH!!"  
"I'm tryin'! Iss hard from all da way down heah!!"  
"Well then go for his feet! Make him lose his balance or something!!"  
"His feet're underwatah!! How'm I supposed ta- WHOA!!"  
Meta-Kraid fired a series of spikes from his belly, which Malik practically had to fall over to avoid. Samus leapt over and got him back on his wheels, but no later did she have to pull both him and herself out of the path of another barrage of spikes. They whizzed past their heads and cracked deep into the marble floor. Even the spikes seemed to be tougher than before.

Samus knew a change of battle plan was needed. "OK, Malik. He does most of his damage with his arms. Stay down here, and shoot at his arms all you can."  
"Even da robot one?"  
"ESPECIALLY the robotic one!"  
"But what about you?"  
"I'm going upstairs."  
Malik nodded and showed her off. "A'ight, good luck Samus!"  
"Same to you. We'll need it!" she called back. Readying her Missiles, she charged up her Speed Booster and ran up the altar steps at blazing speed.

When Samus reached the top, she found herself almost literally face-to-face with the mechanical monster that was Meta-Kraid. With his three humongous eyes, the top one a robotic retinal scanner of sorts, he appeared to observe her. A grunt, then, of recognition, to his old hated, but respected, enemy.  
"Hello Kraid," she said aloud. "...and good-bye."  
With lightning-fast reflexes, she targeted the false eye and launched a Missile. The blast made Meta-Kraid squeal and stagger back a few steps in pain, thundering the ocean below him as he did. Sounds like that of a dying car escaped his mouth, which was now wide open. Samus took this moment to charge up a Super Missile and let it fly straight into his maw. She watched as it zeroed in and exploded on his uvula. Another maddened and hurt roar from Meta-Kraid, and Malik began to cheer down below. _"Yeah Samus! You gots him! You gots him on da ROPES, girl! Yeeeah!"_

Meta-Kraid recovered from the pain of the last couple blows quickly, and in a matter of seconds, appeared completely recuperated. All Samus had succeeded in doing was making him angrier, and more hellbent on crushing the temple and its inhabitants. Refusing to open his mouth again, he reared back and led a charge straight for the temple.  
"Brace yourself, Malik!!" Samus commanded, grabbing hold of the stone table in front of her.  
_"I'm bracin', Samus! I'm bracin'! Oh my GAWWWWD!"  
_The force of Meta-Kraid ramming his gigantic frame against the temple's foundation was enough to jolt Samus backwards and go tumbling down the stairs. She flipped into her Morph Ball to void injury, but as she fell, she worried about Malik. Had he endured the impact? Was he alright?

The second she felt the marble ground, Samus sprang back into bipedal form. The sound of crackling and crashing stone sounded all around her. Taking a quick sweep around, she noticed Kraid's body slam had broken away much of the temple's ceiling and ground. The altar still seemed to holding its own, but Meta-Kraid had already set his sights on it. With a single swipe of his titanium claw, it would be reduced to dust.

But where was Malik? Had his body been buried under a fallen column? Had he fallen into the sea? Oh, as much as Samus hated to admit it, she simply couldn't hold Meta-Kraid back on her own. And worse yet, she found herself worrying more than she'd ever worried before. Was Malik still alive...?

Meta-Kraid raised his arm, ready to bring it down upon the altar's high perch. By the time Samus noticed, it was too late for her to prepare. She aimed her Cannon, but no sooner was that hellish claw swinging at full speed. Another split second, and all was lost...  
A sudden shot rang out from behind the altar's pillar, striking Meta-Kraid right in the armpit! He groaned angrily and clutched his wound with his other hand. Several more shots were fired at the robotic shoulder, and all the while, she could hear crazed yelling, like that of a madman.  
"Yeah, bring it!! BRING it!! I'mma pop you so full o' pistol shots you gonna be pissin' LAVA!!"  
Samus gasped. "Malik?!"

She ran around the altar's pillar, and there she saw him, laying flat on his back. His face was twisted in sick rage as he awkwardly aimed up and fired repeatedly at Meta-Kraid's shoulder. In a stunning turn of events, the shoulder suddenly sparked, spazzed, and blew to bits. With a loud _CLANK!, _Meta-Kraid's entire, brand new, cyborg arm slipped right off, smashed against the temple's floor, and slipped into the sea where is disappeared below the depths.  
"YEEEEEAAAAHHHHH!!" Malik screamed loudly, surprising even Meta-Kraid. "How you like DAT, muthafucka!?"  
Samus jovially went over and helped back onto his wheels for the second time. Malik was still laughing wildly over his victory. "Thanks again, hon."  
"Way to go," she congratulated. "But he's still not out. Not by a long shot. Let's keep at it!"  
"Sho' thing!"  
Meta-Kraid fretted heavily over his lost arm, but knew he still had the strength to destroy his targets in his other arm alone. Malik aimed at his arm while Samus got ready to run up the steps again to go for the eyes.

However, all action within the temple over the sea suddenly came to a grinding, silencing halt.  
The sun was now nearly completely gone over the horizon, and the light of the distant stars could be seen against the darkening sky. It was among these stars that something strange caught their attention...  
A red flash, so bright all three combatants shelved their eyes from the rays. What was visible then was but a red glow, out in the distance of space. Though it appeared small, if one considered how far away it was, they would realize just how enormous it must have truly been...  
"What is dat...?" Malik asked in wonder.  
Samus understood right away. "Malik, I think... I think the Evil Seed has met its Maker..."  
Malik gawked and looked at her with wide eyes. "WHA-?! You mean-?!"  
"Yes, Malik. It's happened. It's the only explanation."  
"Oh no... Oh noooo... Where's Dusty and Victoria at?! Dey were supposed ta git the Good Seed back before dis happened! WHERE THEY AT?!"  
Samus shook her head. "I don't know... Oh God, please tell me they did it..."

Meta-Kraid's fascination with the ever-growing ball of red light soon subsided. Samus took note of this and began to head up the stairs again. "Well, let's pray they make it back soon! Right now, all we can do is keep fighting! To the death, if we have to!"  
Malik appeared scared to death, unable to keep his eyes off the shining, blood-red light in the sky. With a gulp, he nodded. "A-a'ight, Samus..."

And so, upon reaching the top of the altar once more, Samus let loose her Wavebuster on Meta-Kraid's false eye, drawing him back. Her Missile supply was depleting rapidly, now with less than 30 left. In this desperate time, though, all she could do was give it all she had, and hope Dusty and Victoria would appear as their saviors. The Wavebuster to Meta-Kraid's false eye was proving effective, as were Malik's continuous shots to his remaining arm. However, they were truly only effective to the extent of keeping him at bay, and not weakening or honestly damaging him. When Samus's Missile reserves at long last ran out, she resorted to using her Charge Beam, but it was clear that lack of Missiles was going to present a huge challenge.  
Nevertheless, she remained atop the altar. She would defend it ceaselessly. And if Meta-Kraid seized his chance to destroy it, a possibility that became more and more of a certainty every second, then she would fall with it. On this, her stance was firm.

Once again advancing after being pushed back so far, Meta-Kraid launched all sets of spikes on his stomach into the temple. Samus was able to evade the one flying at her with a single sidestep. However, a cry from Malik broke her concentration.  
_"AAAAAAAAGGGHHH!! S-SAMUS!! My AHM!!"  
_"What's wrong, Malik?!" Samus shouted.  
_"A spike!! I gots a spike through my aaahm!!"_  
Looking down from her high perch, Samus was able to spot Malik down below. It was hard to tell exactly, but indeed, it looked as though one of Meta-Kraid's belly spikes had impaled Malik right through the left bicep. She cursed under her breath, worried that Malik might not be able to hold out. She pondered over how big of a risk it would be to go down to his aid.  
"Malik, can you still shoot?!"  
_"I... Y-yeah, my right arm's still OK...!"_  
"OK, listen! Just breathe deep, and keep shooting! It's nothing fatal!"  
_"Girl, I KNOW iss nothin' fatal! But... Meta-Kraid! He's comin'!! I can't fight back like dis..."_  
"I'll do my best to keep him back! But please, you have to do your best, too!!"  
_"I'll do what I can...!"  
_"Alright! Just keep at it, Malik! Dusty and Victoria will be here any seco-!!"

She was cut off by Meta-Kraid slamming his frame against the temple's foundation again. From below, she could hear Malik snarling in pain as a result. Meta-Kraid lowered his head, hoping to ram it straight into the altar. Samus and Malik fired ruthlessly, but no amount was going to flinch him this time. Not when his goal was so close...

At that moment, a loud ripping noise sounded through the darkness. In the air above Meta-Kraid's head, a large rip in space-time tore open, and revealed a swirling void of purple. And what should escape from the void other than Samus's own Gunship! Samus guessed Dusty was piloting, since it simply could not stay at one elevation or facing one direction. Victoria, presumably, was manning the guns, and was doing quite an exceptional job. Immediately, the Gunship's high-powered lasers were aimed at Meta-Kraid's face and began firing without pause. They managed to continue beating his face even while the Gunship itself flopped around so sporadically. Meta-Kraid wasn't given a chance to even lift his remaining arm. In the flurry of heavy-hitting shots to his eyes and face, he eventually keeled over backwards and landed hard in the water, before disappearing beneath the black depths in a splash of white waves. Not long after, thick plumes of smoke began to rise from the surface up towards the sky.

Samus let out an audible cheer. It was a surprisingly poignant moment for her, watching her comrades come to the rescue as they did, especially considering just who they were. It was something she had never felt before. A feeling of pride, not for herself, but for her partners.  
Malik was ecstatic, too. He couldn't his excitement. _"WOOOO!! Now how do ya like dat? They come in RIGHT at the last second ta save the day!! Now DAT'S what I call a climactic battle..."_

After a long while of involuntary dips and tilts, the Gunship finally managed to level out and float calmly in midair over the sea by the temple. The sound of a speaker crackling was heard, and directly after, Dusty's voice. _"So Meta-Kraid blows out every pillar, busts the ceiling, and takes a huge-ass bite out of the foundation, and the altar is STILL IN ONE PIECE?! Man, you two are the real deal! Not that I couldn't have done it, but..."  
_Samus just chuckled and shook her head. "Good to see you too, Dusty. And Victoria?"  
_"Here, Samus! We got the Good Seed back!"  
_Samus and Malik both answered with, "Really?!"  
_"Yeah! Dusty and I completely trashed the Orpheon to get it back. Reaper tried to fight back, but we laid waste to him, big time."  
_"But what about da Evil Seed?" Malik called to the speaker. "Did Reaper already...?"  
_"Yeah, he already launched it at Old Major. There was no time to catch up and stop it. I dunno how much time we have left before it..."  
_Samus gazed up at the red sparkle hovering in space. The rate at which it was growing was staggering. There was no doubt in her mind... Seed and Maker had already met. The Antichrist was born, and was maturing as they spoke. The time for the Good Seed's blessing was at hand.  
"It's already happening," she warned them.  
_"What? Really? Already??" _Victoria said in a frightened tone.  
"Yes. Now hurry! Land the ship and bring that Metroid out here, stat!"

Under the pressure and the ticking doomsday clock, Dusty struggled to land the ship properly. He landed with a heavy _THUD_ that cracked the ground, but hey, at least he landed on solid ground. When he and Victoria leapt out of the ship, cold-containment capsule in hand, Samus and Malik were already down to meet them. The first thing they noticed was Malik's injured arm, which was already forming a velvet pool of blood on the ground.  
Victoria gasped. "Malik! Your arm...!"  
"Yeah, I know, I know..." he said comically. "I gots a big spike in meh arm. No big surprise. Heheh!"  
"Actually it kinda is," Dusty mused. "Usually it's Vicki that gets all the tough breaks!"

"Malik, are you sure you'll be OK?" Samus asked.  
"Oh, don't ya'll worry. I'm da Guardian of Strong Arm, o' sumthin, 'member? Dis little spike ain't got NOTHIN' on me. Here, watch. Imma just rip it out right now!"  
Victoria covered her eyes, and Dusty watched in anticipation. However, Samus stopped him before he could. "No, it's probably best if you leave it in..."  
"Woman, I'M da medical expert heah! If I say it needs ta come out, den it needs ta come OUT!"  
Samus sighed. "OK, if you say so. You can stay down here and take care of that yourself. But Dusty, Victoria? You two come up the altar with me. Quickly, we're wasting time!"

There was an eerie silence when the three Hunters reached the top of the altar. It was the silence that precludes the coming of something revolutionary. The calm before the storm. The stillness that ensues when a life-changing event is looming forth, hoping not just to change the life of one, but the lives of many...  
"OK Dusty, you did this back on Blobsoh VII, right?" Samus asked. "How does this blessing thing work?"  
"Well," Dusty tried to recall. "I didn't do much. I just kinda put Scythe on the table, and... Hey, wait a minute! Is Scythe OK? Vicki, do you know if Scythe's still OK?!"  
Victoria glanced at the red glow in the black sky, fearing she already knew the answer. With a sad face, she shook her head in doubt.

Samus guessed the truth about Scythe's welfare as well, and for a second almost felt a rush of grief. She quickly forced it down. "...We can feel sorry for him later. But right now... Dusty, how did you do it?!"  
"Really, it wasn't much," he assured her. "I just put him on the table, and... it just sorta happened on its own."  
"...That's it?"  
"Yeah, that's all. Boom. End of story. No mas."

Immediately, Samus popped open the freezing capsule, reached inside, and yanked out the repulsive, squealing Metroid. The ball of light shown with gusto through its transparent membrane. It seemed to sense where it was and was delighted to know what was going to happen next. Samus dropped the creature on the stone table, and waited.  
The Metroid lay there, wriggling and making noises, but nothing more happened.  
"Well...?" Samus questioned. "What's wrong? Why isn't he being blessed? Dusty?!"  
Dusty shrugged. "I-I don't know!"  
"You're sure there's something you're not remembering?!"  
"I'm trying to think! Really, I am! I just can't..."  
"Umm, Samus?"  
"What is it, Victoria?"  
"L-look!!"

She pointed up towards the sky, directly at the raging red sphere of light. Their hearts were struck with fear when they realized - it was not a sphere of light anymore. It had transfigured... transformed into a horrible demon's face, composed of leaping, burning flames. It continued to grow ever larger, until it surely would outsize any living thing in the universe. And as awful as an omen could be, its piercing gaze seemed to be directed right at planet Earth... namely, the very temple where the heroes, with the Seed-bearing Metroid, stood at that moment in time. What it planned to do was unknown, but that gaze of purest evil could only mean he saw them as one thing - his first target...  
And God had still yet to bestow his Seed with the beauty and grace of His divine powers. It was as though even he had realized it was too late, and had given up all hope...

No! It couldn't be true! The Good Seed was conceived solely for the purpose of fighting this demon! There had to be a way to make this happen. There had to be a way to give the Seed his blessing needed to know his power. There had to be...

_"Uhh... Hey, ya'll up dere? That red sparkly up in da sky ain't no sparkly no mo'... Iss a giant face, and I think iss lookin' at us. Ya'll gonna get da Seed his blessin' or what?!"  
_"Working on it!" Samus called down. She looked at Dusty seriously. "Dusty, you're the only one of us that would have ANY idea of what we need to do. So please, even if you can't remember anything you did last time, TRY to come up with an idea that would make sense!"  
Dusty stared down at the glowing Metroid with a confused frown. He poked it with his finger.  
"Well stop poking it, for a start!" Victoria scolded. "It's still just a baby. Show it some love!"  
"Sorry," me muttered, "Just trying to think here. And it's so squishy and fun to poke and-"

All of a sudden, something twinkled in his eyes. A realization flooded into him. "Wait a minute... That's it! Show it some love! Vicki, you're a genius!"  
"I am?" she questioned, surprised.  
Dusty smiled widely. "YESH! Haven't you ever heard that God IS love? His poor Seed has gotten nothing but abuse lately. And being locked in that freezer... he needs to be warmed up! With LOVE!!"  
Samus and Victoria both exchanged 'WTF?' type faces.  
"Hey Samus, you said so yourself. I'M the expert in this field. Now I'm not saying it'll work for sure, but even you have to agree that we need to try SOMEthing!"  
"Even showing a Metroid love? I don't think s-"  
She stopped herself when she took another look at the Evil Seed, growing and protruding in all its fiery rage. The effects of its maturity had yet to be noticed, but before long, certainly, terrible things would begin to happen as the scales of justice began to shift ever more towards the darkside...

Taking a moment to swallow her pride, Samus finally nodded. "OK Dusty, how exactly will we do this?"  
"Weeell," Dusty thought, "Unconditional love isn't really a hard thing to do cuz, well, it's unconditional! Just do what comes to your heart..."  
"Aww, that's sweet," Samus remarked, "But seriously, I need more than that. If you're such an expert, than show us!"  
"Yes ma'am!" he said with a salute. And then, presumably as a result of 'following his heart', he removed his helmet, knelt over the wiggling Metroid...  
And gave it's body a kiss!

Samus and Victoria both reacted almost the exact same way - with a grimace of disgust and a forceful resistance of the gag reflex. Dusty had just kissed a Metroid! A disgusting, pulsating, downright repulsive Metroid! And even more bizarre, he was smiling about it!  
_"Wha-? Yo, wass happenin' up dere? Did I miss sumthin' funny?"  
_  
"Dusty!" Samus blurted. "Why... How... How could you even work up the gall to DO that?!"  
"Hey," he said, shrugging, "It's not everyday you get to kiss the Seed of God himself. It's really not so freakish and gross if you can just look at him THAT way. Besides, look!"  
Samus and Victoria both reluctantly gazed down, and to their surprise, the Metroid was actually reacting to Dusty's kiss. It let out a squeal of what sounded like glee, and the light within flashed several times over like a broken lightbulb. The ice coating its body had begun to melt away...  
"See? And you didn't believe me. I thought you knew better than to doubt ME, Samus!" He then clapped his hands together. "Well, so who's next??"  
Samus and Victoria glanced at one another, hesitant.  
"Umm, can't YOU just do it again?" Victoria asked. "Scythe always did like you..."  
"Aw, c'mon! He loves all of you, too!" Dusty assured them. "The love of one is precious, but the admiration of many is bliss. Now stop being such girls and kiss the son of God!"

Victoria groaned to herself, having finally made her decision. She too removed her helmet, bent down over the Metroid, and gave it as small a peck as she could.  
Thankfully, though, her quick peck still seemed enough to elate the Seed within, for it flashed brilliantly once again, and was accompanied by an even more joyful squeal from the Metroid itself.  
Samus glared at Victoria in disbelief as she lifted her head and whipped her mouth in disgust. She couldn't help but laugh. "Goodness Victoria, you've really let this crazy guy get to you, haven't you?"  
"It's true," she shamelessly admitted. "I trust him. He's nuts, but he's honest..."  
Dusty smiled at that.

Samus, however, still wasn't convinced. Metroids... the very life form she hoped to make extinct... and now she was being asked to lay a kiss on one? She was seriously ready to draw the line right there.  
"Samus, c'mon! You've done WAY crazier things than this!" Dusty said.  
"Samus..." Victoria said calmly. "Really, just believe in your faith. Look past the fact that it's a Metroid, and see it as the savior of the universe. You'll find the will to do it. Trust me."  
By this point, Samus was completely fed up with all the convincing. With a not-so-womanly grunt, she yanked off her helmet and leaned her face over the writhing beast. She stopped a few inches short, to close her eyes and think very hard about what she was doing.  
She could hear Dusty singing under his breath...

_"Sha la la la la la don't be scared.  
You got the mood prepared  
Go on and, kiss the Seed..."_

"What the heck?" Victoria wondered.  
"Little Mermaid, hon. It's a classic."

Finally, Samus lowered her lips and planted a light kiss on the Metroid's wet membrane. Light as her kiss was, the foul taste and texture still didn't spare her lips. She reared up quickly and spat out the sick flavor. Dusty and Victoria watched as the Metroid's innards flashed more brightly than ever before. A few seconds later, after much struggling, it managed to levitate itself off the table a few inches.  
Just a little bit more love!

"Hey Malik, buddy!" Dusty called down to him. "We need your help up here!"

_"Uh-huh... Listen man, I know what ya'll are doin' up dere, and I am now officially grossed outta my mind. Ain't no WAY I'm puttin' my mouf on dat thang! Besides, how da hell am I s'pposed ta git up dose stairs, anyhow? I ain't got no legs, and my ahm's hurt, dummy!"  
_Dusty snapped his fingers. "Aw, it's all good. Just blow a kiss up here and I'll smack it on him for ya!"  
_"Uhh... Really? I kin do dat?"_  
"Sure! He'll get the message!"  
_"Shoot, thass cool wid me!"  
_And so Malik blew a kiss up to the top of the altar. Dusty seemed to know the speed it traveled at and pretended to catch it. He then affectionately turned around and slapped his palm on the Metroid's head.

With this last kiss, the Metroid squealed in delight once more.  
And almost immediately afterwards, it began to happen...  
From a place unseeable in the heavens, a bright white bloom began to spread across the sky, blocking out the darkness of the night, making it appear to be daytime again. Even the red glow of the Evil Seed so far away was lost in that moment. The essence of virtue and righteousness in the blossoming light, it began to fall down as droplets. Like falling stars, they zeroed in on the Metroid's body, penetrated the skin, and were fed directly to the being within. And as the light began to fill, the Metroid itself began to change, mutate, become ever more powerful...

"So wait, you're telling me all I had to do was blow a kiss at the thing and we would get the same results?! OK, I'm officially pissed off now."  
"Be as pissed off later, Samus! Be quiet!"

The four mandibles all but disappeared, and in their place, grew seven long, transparent tentacles, hooked with lethal spikes. And as it rose higher and higher towards the broken ceiling, it grew in all directions and dimensions. It became so large that the Hunters were forced to run down the stairs to give it room to expand...  
And after nearly a full minute of constant enwonderment, the light in the sky ceased raining, and the cloud of white shrank back into nothing. The sky became dark again...  
The Metroid now hovered above, twice the size of Samus's Gunship, its tentacles waving with the grace of charmed snakes. And where its internal nuclei once were, there was only a pulsating light that beat like a heart. It was part strange, part beautiful, and all awe-inspiring.

The four Hunters gathered on the floor of the temple and gazed up at it for several seconds.  
"Wow..." Dusty muttered. "Now THAT... is a _PRIME _Metroid_!"_  
Samus shook her head. "Oh please. That was SO not funny..."  
Malik bust out laughing. "HaHA! Dass a good one!" He and Dusty high-fived.  
"Boys, be serious here!" Samus scolded. "I think it's trying to tell us something..."

Before anymore could be said, a massive jolt shook the temple. The ocean once again began to churn and bubble. Everyone feared the worst was coming...  
With a mighty splash of water, Meta-Kraid once again rose from the depths, murder in all three of his eyes! Determined to finish what he started, he roared and raised his arm, prepared for attack...  
But at that moment, he suddenly stopped.

The Metroid... It was secreting a strange, mellow aura that oh-so-faintly lit up the night air. An aura that cooled Meta-Kraid's hot, raging temper. They watched as he succumbed to the effects of this soothing miasma and lowered his arm. A dreamy look spread across his monstrous features. He looked about ready to fall right back to sleep.  
But the Metroid didn't give him the chance. At an indescribable speed, it seized the moment and lashed all seven tentacles directly at Meta-Kraid's neck and shoulders. A loud _SLUUURRRPPP!! _sound filled the air.  
Shortly thereafter, the tentacles came loose. Meta-Kraid's body went limp, and he crashed back into the sea. His very life-force was sucked dry in less than a second.  
All the Hunters were utterly speechless.

As far as the Metroid was concerned, however, nothing needed to be said. Despite the fact that it lacked eyes, it still seemed to gaze down upon them all at once. Was he planning to suck them dry as well?  
They watched in anticipation as it raised a single tentacle...  
And pointed straight at the Evil Seed in the blackness of space.  
It took no time for them all to understand.  
God's Seed was matured. He had made the very best of the physical form He happened to be in... And He was ready.  
Samus, Malik, Dusty, and Victoria all nodded. On the surface, and deep down, they were ready as well.  
The Metroid sensed this, and curled its raised tentacle into what appeared to be a fist. It shook it enthusiastically. Then, in a flash, it began to fly at full speed into the sky, directly towards the unholy one.  
Samus ordered everyone to get into the Gunship, including herself. Once all were inside, she kicked the controls into high gear and began to follow.

Armageddon had now officially begun, the outcome of which being the only thing the Prophecy was unable to determine. With the greatest of hopes, they flew headlong into the final battle...

* * *

As the four Hunters trailed the holy Metroid in its advance towards the Devil's Seed, the dread felt within the Gunship mounted exponentially With each passing second. Nevertheless, they gathered their courage and continued onwards into the face of death. With the spawn of God himself on their side, they hoped their faith would help them prevail in this war to end all wars...

The face of the Devil's Seed was a horrid monstrosity. Like the skull of a creature found only in the darkest of nightmares, its pitch dark eyes appeared to observe every inch of the cosmos at once, scoping out every evil heart and filing them with unspeakable power so they may overthrow the good around them. It size, which became apparent and the warriors drew near, was monumentally staggering. The flames that forever protruded from the face leapt so high they may have touched the top of the universe. Based on its size alone, it seemed all but unstoppable.

As much as the Hunters hoped they would never reach the site, reach it they did. The holy Metroid stopped several miles in front of the beast's face, and Samus braked the Gunship right beside the Metroid. The Evil Seed lowered its humongous face, and stared at them all through its hollow, evil eyes. The mouth twisted in disapproval, and it let out a loud, low-pitched yell that was so thundering it nearly shattered the Gunship's windows.  
And then, from the fiery mass of red, an army of large flaming hands began to erupt. They sailed with great speed directly towards the Metroid. The Metroid raised its tentacles, ready to fight back.

Samus couldn't bear to simply watch from the windshield. She released the controls, stood up, and ran for the overhead hatch. Malik stopped her with his good arm, confused. "Samus, where're you goin'?! I ain't lettin' you go out dere! You gonna get killed!"  
"Maybe," she said, wrestling out of his grasp. "But it's as the Prophecy said. I have to help the Seed win this. I'm the Sorrowborne Hunter."  
"Can't you help by staying in the Gunship??" Victoria asked. "You know, help by firing the lasers?"  
"No," Samus replied, completely sure of herself. "It's beckoning for me. To go out and help him fight. I have to listen."  
"Well, then... Can WE fire lasers from the Gunship?" Dusty asked seriously. "We have to help, too! We HAVE to!"  
"The Prophecy said nothing about the Guardian having any part in this battle. You really shouldn't interfere. It might change what the Prophecy foretold!"  
"Nothing 'bout da battle was foretold!" Malik argued. "So I'm agreein' wid Dusty! Ain't no way Imma stand around and let you fight by yo'self!"  
"I agree, too," Victoria said. "We're fighting with you, Samus, and you're not stopping us."  
Samus groaned at their stubbornness. "OK, if you must. But if anything goes wrong, back out IMMEDIATELY! Understand?"  
"Yes ma'am!" All three answered.  
"Alright. Good luck to us all." And that was the last she said before leaping up through the upper hatch and into space above...

As Samus landed on the Gunship's roof, she was shocked to see the armada of fiery claws had already reached them. The Metroid lashed at every one that it could, taking several out with a single swipe of a tentacle. However, the cloud of hands became more and more dense. Now was Samus's time to act. Using space's anti-gravity, she kicked herself off the ship and floated towards the Metroid. As she flew over it, she gripped its soft head, and put herself into a standing position. The Metroid made a noise as though accepting the help.  
"No problem," she said, before equipping her Ice Beam and proceeding to fire away at the army of approaching fire hands.

"Vicki! There's one over there! No wait, another one's coming from that way! No, shoot that one! No, THAT one!"  
"Shut up! Let me concentrate!"  
"Hey you two, I think dere's one on da side o' the ship!"  
"Well then go kill it or something!"  
"Yes suh!"  
"Good! Vicki, I see one approaching from the left. I mean, the right. I mean, it's right in front of us! KILL IT!"

Victoria was manning the guns and picking off as many hands as she could, while Dusty did his best to tell her where they were approaching from. Despite their best efforts, the Gunship was already being surrounded. Malik tried to help in any way he could. As he rolled into the berth room to look out the window there, a sudden jerk rocked the ship. Malik was shocked to see four long, thick sections of the ceiling were beginning to turn bright red and start melting away.  
"Oh snap! Guys, one 'o da hands has got da ship! He's burnin' right through!!"  
"Well what'd I tell you to do?! KILL IT!!"  
"Umm... O-OK!" Malik pulled out his pistol and aimed at one of the broad red lines where one of the hand's fingers would be. It was difficult to hold the gun with only one hand, but he fired rapidly, hoping to drive it off. However, the metal still continued to burn away. A split-second later, another tremor shook the craft, and Malik could see another set of giant finger-shaped marks starting to sear their way through the iron on the other side of the room. "Aw man, ya gotta be kiddin' me!" he cried. "Victoria, try hahder to keep 'em off! We're bein' hounded like crazy heah!"  
"I'm trying! There's too many!!"  
"Dammit, why didn't we just listen ta Samus?!" Malik cursed as he shot over and over. "She's always right about this sorta thang!"

The Metroid and Samus succeeded in obliterating every flaming claw that came near them. With the Metroid's lightning-fast tentacles and Samus's Ice Beam, accompanied by the Gunship's bullets, the army of hands was falling quickly. The Gunship looked to be in worse shape as far as keeping the hands off, but Samus had no time to help them. She prayed that those aboard would be able to fend for themselves.

Eventually, the hands stopped spawning from the fire. The Evil Seed, which had not been paying no mind before, was now clearly growing angry. It opened its enormous mouth, and out snaked five long, narrow, tongues, blanketed in black fire. One aimed for the Gunship, while the remaining four sped right towards the Metroid and Samus, hoping to entangle and enrapture them into the darkness. Although slightly winded from fending off the devilish hands, the two were more than prepared for this second wave...

"My gun's not doin' nothin'!! Dey won't let go!!"  
"Dammit Malik! Get outta there and shut the door!"  
"A'ight! Comin'!!"  
Three large fingers and already melted the metal enough to slip into the berth room, thereby setting two of the beds ablaze. Malik was quick to turn around speed through the door back to the cockpit, and slam it shut. Victoria was doing a fine job of keeping the claws off the bow of the ship, it seemed. However, this was only the first wave of attack it seemed, for all five of them noticed the Evil Seed open its mouth to allow five snake-like tongue's slither out. One was veering off in a different direction than the others. It was going straight for the Gunship!  
"Aw man... Dere's more!" Malik said in a worried tone. "We can't survive much longah like dis!"  
"I'll try and keep it away from us!" Victoria promised, already shooting at the approaching tongue.  
"But Victoria, dere's still a bunch o' dose hand thangs flyin' around! We needs ta back off, o' we gonna die!"  
"Quit complaining Malik!" Dusty shouted. "Try and have a little faith in us all!"

Malik was about to make a cutting remark, but stopped short when he allowed that word to sink in. _"Faith..." _he repeated in his head. It had proven itself to be a potent idea in the past. Was there perhaps a way they could use it now? If there was ever a battle where belief in God and love was needed to achieve victory, it was this one, no doubt. But how...?  
Malik clenched his fist and threw it in the air. "OOOH! I gots an idea! Dusty, kin I use yo' cell phone?"  
"What?! Why? You gonna order pizza or something?"  
"Uhh, maybe later. But not right now! Just gimme it!"  
Dusty didn't want to argue. He dug into his pocket and pulled his phone out, which he threw to Malik. Malik caught it and right away entered the Phone Book feature to search for a particular number. When he found it, he pressed Send and put the receiver to his ear. He waited as patiently as he possibly could.  
"Malik!" Victoria cried, struggling to hit the wildly flailing tongue as it squirmed closer. "Whatever you're doing, it'd be nice if you could hurry!"  
"Tell DEM ta hurry!" he replied.  
As if on cue, he heard the phone being picked up on the other end. _"Galactic Federation HQ. We're currently busy researching a possibly deadly phenomenon in the Dasha Region that we fear could end the universe. Please call back another time."  
_"Hold up hold up!" Malik ordered. "Is it a big red face monstah?"  
_"Umm, yes. It appears to be."  
_"Dat's what I'm callin' bout. Now listen, you kin help us beat dis thang fo' good! Just listen to what I tell ya, and TRUST me!"  
_"Who is this?!"_  
"Dis is Malik. I'm heah fightin' da monstah wid my friends Dusty, Victoria, and Samus..."  
_"Sir, we really don't- wait, Samus?!"_  
"Yes suh!"  
_"Samus is up there battling the creature right now?!"_  
"Yes suh! And she's in real dangah! We need yo' help!"  
_"Very well, Mr Malik! I will send out an alert! We will dispatch all the troops we have to-!"_  
"No, no need fo' troops! Just hear me out...!"

Having replenished her Missile supply on the Gunship, Samus let loose countless numbers of them upon the black fire tongues. Her firepower didn't have very much effect, but she did all she could. The Metroid was clearly having difficulty holding all four beastly snakes off of it. They whipped from one direction to the next with movements quicker than the eye, and would dart in for a sharp strike. The Metroid used its tentacles to the bitter end to block them, but more than once succumbed to a blow. Samus nearly slipped off its head several times, but was able to retain her footing. Nevertheless, they were doing far more evading and blocking than actual damage. The tongues showed no signs of weakening or slowing down while, verily, the Metroid had begun to. The balance was shifting rapidly...  
At that moment, Samus's built in helmet phone started ringing. Completely ignoring it, she let the answering machine turn on.  
"_YO SAMUS!! CAN YA HEAR ME?!_"

Malik?! Samus heard his voice erupt from her helmet phone! Knowing it was of top importance, she switched it on and continued shooting. "Malik?!" she called, hoping he could hear her.  
"_Hey Samus! I got da GF on the othah line! Dey wanna give you deir best wishes!!_"  
"That's great Malik, but tell them this is NOT the best time! And... you've still got two of those hands clutching the ship!!"  
"_Don't worry bout dat! And iss the perfect time! I even gots Mista Vapor heah ta talk to you! Go on and talk to her, homie._"  
"_Hello? Samus Aran??_"

Samus was delighted to hear Mr Vapor's voice. "Mr Vapor? Is it really you?!"  
"_It is, Samus!_"  
"You're OK?!"  
"_Yes, Samus! I've recovered just fine. But I need you to listen. Are you fighting the Devil's Seed right now?!_"

"Yes sir, and I really need to know the reason for this call!"  
"_You're about to get it. Everybody, gather around! Send Samus Aran and God's Seed your prayers! And make it LOUD!! Everybody ready?_"  
"_YEEEAH!!_"  
"_OK, on the count of three. One! Two..._"

And on the count of three, something surprising happened. The giant S.O.S. speakers that were protruding from the top of the Gunship suddenly turned on, and what must have been the voice of every Bounty Hunter, every army soldier, every desk worker, every secretary, janitor, President at the Galactic Federation HQ rang forth in a chorus of pious cheers. Each chant of "Good luck" and "We love you, Samus," and "Give 'em hell!" reached her ears, almost magically filling her to the brim with energy and confidence.  
The Metroid, too, sensed all the positive energy ringing from the speakers. The light within its body began to glow flourescently, reacting to all the loving prayers that could be heard. And then, with a wiggle and a shake, the Metroid began to grow...

At the same time, the pure spirit of love and hope pealing through space, the Evil Seed's forces suddenly began to drop like flies. The hands grasping the Gunship, before they had a chance to melt all the way though, suddenly vanished in a flash, as did all the other claws in the area. Even the black-lit fiery tongues began to whip around sporadically, hurt and disgusted by the cheers. Slowly, they began to fall back.  
Even the Evil Seed itself couldn't help but groan in pain and agony. Its raging flames appeared to be dying down slightly, and the entire fiery mass proceeded to shrink under the crushing weight of faithful prayer.

The Good Seed grew while the Evil Seed shrank...  
While the difference in size was still immense, Samus knew right away what this meant - the scales of justice were beginning to shift the other way again. They were beginning to even out, just as they should be.

However, the Evil Seed would not give in so easily. With another monstrous roar, it lashed out one of its five tongues at light speed straight into the Gunship's S.O.S. speaker. The device blew to nuts and bolts under the force of the impact, and just as quickly as it had begun, the chorus of prayer and good will was silenced.  
The tongue then reared back...  
And shot forward once more, smashing through the windshield of the Gunship itself. At that same moment, Samus swore she heard Dusty scream in pain.

Samus bit her lip and observed her surroundings. The Evil Seed once again deployed a massive brigade of blazing claws and unleashed its four remaining black tongues. The Metroid, with its amazing newfound strength, was more than prepared to fight back. It was unknown, though, whether he still needed the aid of the Sorrowborne Warrior...  
And while the tongue that had breached the ship had left it now, Samus still feared for Dusty's safety. Had he been hurt? Was he still alive?  
The approaching army of dark beasts closed in on them like a cloud of death...

Samus looked back and forth between the Gunship and the advancing wave of evil threats. It was a shocking surprise to her, but she couldn't deny her feelings - she was very worried about Dusty. Malik and Victoria, too. To her, they were only partners, and yet she longed for their safety. Why was that? Her brain was telling her to stay and aid the Metroid like she was meant to, but her heart told her to do otherwise. She couldn't fight in this state. What was she to do??

"Excuse me, umm... Metroid?" she said, looking down at the giant creature she stood upon. "...Hm, is there a name you go by?"  
The Metroid made a sound, like that of a wet sponge, and With its powers, essentially forced the information into her head.  
"Squeshy?!"  
Squeshy made another noise, as though saying yes, while simultaneously asking what she needed in such a dire time.  
"I know I'm supposed to fight alongside you, but... my partners. They need me..."  
Squeshy seemed to glance at the Gunship through his nonexistent eyes. It then faced the cloud of fire hands and black snake tongues that were less than a mile away now and speeding forth recklessly. It was as though it was thinking, gauging his own strength compared to that of the enemy, wondering if he could take them on alone...  
"I'll be back to help you as soon as I can!" Samus promised. "But please, I need to see if my friends are alright!"

It was noticed that Squeshy reacted to the word 'friends'. Samus herself was surprised to hear the word come from her own mouth as well. Like a reflex of the mouth, it had just slipped out.  
Squeshy then made another wet-sounding noise, pointed with one tentacle to the Gunship.  
Samus understood right away. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "I'll be back!"  
And with that, she kicked off Squeshy's head and sailed through the currents of space towards the upper hatch of the Gunship. Once she grabbed on, she quickly threw it open and dropped inside, where it closed shut above her.

Malik was the first to see her. "Samus?! What're you doin' in heah?! Ain't you supposed ta be-!"  
"I know what I'm supposed to be doing!" she told him. "I just had to check and see if y-"  
She was cut off when she caught sight of Dusty lying on the ground. Victoria was kneeling over him. Through her visor, Samus could see her eyes were filled to the brim with fear and worry. Samus ran over to Dusty's side to see what was wrong.  
Sadly, something was indeed horribly wrong. Dusty had suffered a severe puncture wound in his mid abdomen. The black fire tongue had breached his armor and delivered the awful wound, no doubt. Dusty himself looked fearful, but becoming more and more peaceful each second.  
"Oh... Oh no! Dusty, talk to me!" Samus pleaded.  
Dusty turned his head towards Samus. He cracked a grin. "H-hey Samus... have we won yet...?"  
Samus shook her head. "No, not yet, Dusty. Not yet. But we will. I promise."  
"Please do. That would be... really great..." he gasped for breath and groaned, instinctively reaching for his open wound to console it. Samus grabbed his hands forcefully.  
"Don't," she warned. "Leave it be. It'll heal if you just... don't touch it."

As Malik came rolling back over to check on Dusty, Samus looked him in the eyes. "Malik, how is he??"  
Malik's facial features tightened, and he shook his head. "I... I dunno, Samus. I dunno if dere's anythin' I can do..."  
"What?! But there must be! There just has to be!"

Malik's tone remained dark. "I-I'm thinkin' dat tongue thang really hurt his lung. It's real serious. I can't figger out what ta do 'bout it."  
"My lung?" Dusty choked between deep breaths. "Big deal. I still... got another..."

"It don't work like dat, man," Malik said with a gulp. "I hate ta be da one to tell you dis, but... Dusty, I dun think theah's any way we kin save you now. I'm sorry, man..."  
He had to squeeze his eyes tight to keep the flow back. "I'm so sorry..."

"NOOO!!" Victoria suddenly cried. She was not at all ashamed to let her tears flow out. She clutched Dusty's hand. She didn't take her eyes off of his, even though his own were slowly being veiled over. "Dusty..." she sobbed.  
Dusty struggled against the rush of impending doom that swept over him to answer her. "Don't cry, Vicki. I don't deserve... to be cried for. I've always just been a... loser that... likes video games and... eats Ovaltine powder out of the can, and... Ogh, regrets. So many regrets..."  
"Don't say that, Dusty," Victoria said solemnly. "No matter what your religion says... My dad always told me not to think of regrets before death. Don't think of your regrets. Think of all that you're glad to have done..."  
Dusty smiled at those words, but still couldn't ease his troubled mind.

Samus and Malik both peered out the broken windshield at Squeshy and the battle it was enduring. Even with its tentacles lashing in every direction imaginable at speeds that would tire the light, the offenses of the Unholy Beast were long past beginning to take their toll. "Aw man, he's losin' bad out dere!" Malik exclaimed. He grabbed the controls and commenced firing the Gunship's lasers into the field of combat.  
However, it was already certain that wasn't going to be enough. Squeshy needed the help he was meant to have, but strangely, did not call to Samus for it. Instead, it fought on, and seemed determined to do so until the light within him shone no more. Verily, that moment would come soon, for the light was dimming rapidly. Samus knew she had to go back out there.  
But Dusty...

"Vicki..." Dusty gasped, as though down to his last breaths, "...Do you...?"  
"Do I... what?" Victoria asked, lowering her ear over his head.  
"...Do you..." He coughed, and swallowed. With a significant chunk of his remaining strength, he forced the words out. "...Do you love me?"

Samus and Malik both exchanged shocked glances and glanced at the scene.  
Victoria gasped under her breath, and whimpered slightly. Dusty gazed at her seriously, waiting for an answer. Needing an answer. She bit her lip, unsure what to say. She opened her mouth, but quickly shut it.  
Dusty moaned and closed his eyes.

"No! Dusty!" she screamed. She squeezed his hand tighter, begging him not to go. She was just so afraid of what her reply would bring to her. And to Dusty, in his afterlife. However, he needed to hear it, and she knew that.  
And so, with a faint shake of the head, she whispered, "I don't know..."

Still debating whether or not to return to Squeshy's aid or remain aboard the ship, Samus decided the least she could do was pull the back-up windshield over the broken one. If Dusty was to die, she hoped it would be in peace. The back-up windshield would hopefully provide enough protection to allow that.  
The Evil Seed unleashed another hellish roar. It's trials to overcome the second Messiah were nearly complete. It's horrible face could be seen through the windshield still...  
Dusty's face remained tense and serious as he stared at her. The way she cried... it reminded him of how she looked when her father had died.  
His mustached mouth curved into a smirk. "Ya don't know?"  
Victoria merely shook her head once again.  
Dusty nodded. "Well you know what... Vicki?" he said, with slightly more vigor than before. "I... love YOU... So I promise, there ain't... no way... I'm dyin' tonight."  
Having said that, he removed his helmet with a shaky hand, and struggled to sit up. He moved his face as close as he could to Victoria's. Despite the fact that she still wore her helmet, he hoped beyond hope that maybe, she would give him what his heart yearned for...  
However, he didn't even come close. After only three inches off the ground, his head dropped back down again. A grunt escaped his throat, and his eyes worked hard to stay open.

By now, Samus had run over to the overhead hatch once again. It saddened her to have to leave Dusty in his state, but the rest of the universe needed her. She prepared to hop back out onto the Gunship's roof, but turned around once more to take one last look at the heart-wrenching scene. Shortly after, she was out the hatch and back into action.

Victoria knew what it was Dusty hoped for. Although he promised he wouldn't die, she knew deep down it was a promise he couldn't keep. The thought of him having to go without his one last wish made her heart feel as heavy as stone. The sorrow caught in her throat. She almost hoped it would choke her to death right then and there.  
Dusty's last hope...  
Strange as it was, she knew she not only had to give it to him, but at the same time, almost felt as though it was what she wanted, too...

When Dusty saw Victoria remove her helmet, he gave her a puzzled look. But when he noticed the look on her face, he couldn't help but smile.  
He raised his head as high as he could once more.  
She lowered hers...  
And when their lips met, the end of days was met with a new beginning...

Samus and Squeshy fought tirelessly through the hordes of devilish monsters, while the Evil Seed continued to cast his victorious grin over all. His triumph would begin the new universal order, just as his father had commanded, and there would be no stopping or averting it now.  
All hope was being lowered into the grave, and for the first time, Samus felt it. With a morose face and broken spirit, she ceased firing, and lowered her weapon. Defeat was inevitable, she told herself, so all that could be done was accept the end with open arms...

_FWWWWWAAAAAAAMMMMMMMM!!_

An immense force suddenly erupted at her feet. The faded glow within Squeshy's body had completely roared back to life. The blinding rays pierced the void of space, vanquishing every blazing claw and driving every black fire tongue straight back into the Evil Seed's throat. Even the hollow eyes of the Evil Seed itself were blinded by the brilliant flash, for it squeezed them shut and howled in mercy. What in heavens was happening?  
Samus could then feel the body she stood on begin rumbling...  
And straight ahead, she could see the Evil Seed's body of fire losing its mass at a frightful rate, growing smaller and smaller..  
And she knew immediately that Squeshy, too, must have been growing again.  
The Evil Seed shrank and the Good Seed grew once again...  
The changing in dimensions did not stop for what seemed to be an eternity.  
And when at long last, the shifting ceased, Samus was utterly amazed to find the two cosmic beings to be exactly the same size.  
Suddenly, the Evil Seed's horrid face did not look so horrid anymore. in fact, it now looked more fearful than anything else.  
Squeshy squealed, and Samus smiled to herself.  
Samus knelt down and whispered down... "Go on. You know what to do..."

Squeshy let out a most determined of yells, and without a shred of mercy or remorse, lashed out all seven massive tentacles and attached them to every corner of the Evil Seed's face. The beast had hardly any time to scream or fight back. Within five seconds, every ash, every spark, every billowing flame was sucked down into naught but a dense red mass of the purest evil, completely ingested into Squeshy's body.  
Samus looked down beneath her feet...  
And through the clear membrane, she saw something she only half-expected.

The white light of the Good Seed, and the red flames of the Evil Seed, swirling about one another, trying desperately to engulf the other in his own force.  
When she'd told Squeshy to absorb the Evil Seed into its body, she hadn't anticipated this. The battle between evil and balance continued... within the Metroid's body. And now, Samus feared there was no way she could intercept. No way she could help God's Seed win, like she was meant to...  
She watched intently at the two dueling masses of energy, the spawns of the two highest beings in the universe, afraid that all she could do was pray for the white light to overcome the darkness...

As Armageddon raged on inside Squeshy's body, Samus tried in vain to aim down and fire at every batch of red fire that spread fire that fazed into her vision. However, not even her Missiles could breach the Metroids tough skin. It had grown impossibly huge, which made her wonder what exactly had caused its sudden growth.  
Regardless, the Squeshy's size wouldn't help him now...  
Perhaps the only thing left for her to do was say good-bye to her partners, just in case the Evil Seed emerged victorious.

Samus ran across Squeshy's head and looked off the side towards her Gunship. Thankfully, it was still unharmed, and was hovering nearby. She quickly kicked off Squeshy and sailed towards the ship once again, and jumped into the overhead hatch. Once inside, she saw Victoria sitting by Dusty's side, who was still lying on the ground, and Malik in the pilot's seat. Much as the way she'd left it. All three of them looked at her, surprised.  
"Everyone," she announced. "Something has gone very wrong..."  
"I know, we all saw it," Malik said. "Dat Metroid sucked up the Evil Seed, and now iss got both of 'em inside it."  
"But that's not the problem. The two are still fighting, and I can't help the Good Seed like I'm meant to!"  
"WHA-?!" Malik exclaimed. He leaned over and looked out the windshield to see for himself. "Damn! Look at 'em! Looks like dey're in a blender!"

"Which do you see more of??" Samus asked, running over to look for herself.  
"Uhh... Iss hard ta tell, but I'm thinking dere's more red."  
Samus studied the scene from afar. Indeed, it appeared as though, slowly, the red fire was absorbing the white light, causing it to vanish little by little. She backed away, shaking her head, moaning to herself. "No... I never should have told it to do that... What have I done?"  
"Whaddya talkin' bout? Told what ta do what?"  
Samus held out her palm, shushing him. "...It doesn't matter anymore. All we can do is brace ourselves and... say good-bye."

Victoria and Dusty both looked up at her, frightened and sad. Dusty especially looked depressed to hear those words. "You mean... It's over? The Apocalypse is-?"  
"It's coming," Samus told him with a nod. "Very soon..."  
"But Samus, we can't give up yet, can we?" Victoria asked, even though she could tell by Samus's demeanor what her answer would be.  
Malik was breathing heavily, still looking out the windshield. "Imma say we got two minutes 'til our lives are ovah."  
Dusty uttered a groan. "Well, Heaven will still exist... I hope. Please God, take me away from this soon-to-be cruel world..."

Samus lowered her head in shame. The fear that she would die could not compare to her fear that the natural order was about to change forever, and in the most horrible way imaginable. Was her legacy truly to be a universe where nothing was valued except war, power, and the extent of the evil heart? The thought was so depressing that she felt all her emotions beginning to spill out from her chest.  
"Well," she told them all, "All I can say now is... I'm sorry. I'm sorry to everybody that has to suffer because of our actions. I'm sorry to the Federation for failing my mission yet again. But most of all, I'm sorry to you three..."  
"Huh?" Malik wondered. "I dun understand, Samus. Why you sorry ta us of all people?"

"Because," she answered with a sigh, "When I first met you, I felt that all you would bring me was frustration. Having always been a lone warrior, it seemed hardly fair that due to Hunter shortages, I was forced to work with others. Not only that, but I was saddled with an over-emotional rookie..."

Victoria looked down and frowned.  
"...A cripple..."  
Malik nodded, seeing where she was coming from.  
"...And a total clown."  
Dusty struggled to laugh.

"And in the beginning, my predictions were more or less correct about all three of you. In all honesty, if I had been working alone, Scythe would still be alive and I would have gotten both of his blessings done in 15-20 hours, tops. I even offered to have myself be held hostage just because I figured it would be our best bet. Having to work with and get along with you three has been maddening, to say the least."

After that, Samus's tone became surprisingly soft. "...But over time, something I never would have expected happened. I don't know exactly what triggered it or when it began, but... Something was surely born inside of me. Something I haven't felt since my parents were alive. I still remember that day... after it had happened, my life had been all sorrow and anger. But somewhere down the line, during this last mission with all of you, I began to actually..."  
She had to pause, as though searching for the right word.  
"...Care."

Malik, Dusty, and Victoria had now all but blocked the view of Armageddon from their minds, and instead watched Samus, eager to hear her next words.  
"It sounds strange, I know, but... It started with sympathy. Possibly your longing to find your father, Victoria, which is something I could relate to. And Malik, I've never personally had a problem with you, but the next thing I felt was acceptance, and ultimately inspiration, by your ability to live and fight despite your limitations. And I think from there, those feelings eventually evolved into friendship."

Malik smiled a toothy grin. "Aww Samus, ya know I always seen ya as a lady friend! I mean, as a leadah too, but also as a leadah... friend, know what I mean?"  
"I've hardly seen you as anything other than a role model, Samus..." Victoria admitted. "But you've been a fantastic role model. I hoped I could have been as strong as you, Samus..."  
"Trust me Victoria, you've got more strength than any girl your age I've ever met, including myself when I was your age. If anything, I've found myself looking up to _you_. You're a great woman, and your family would be proud."  
Those statements alone were enough to make Victoria shed a few more tears.  
"What about... me?" Dusty asked with a smile.  
"Well, you're still annoying, but you've really defied my expectations," Samus said. "And you know why? Because you've actually managed to grow up a little bit over the past few days. You can probably thank Victoria, too, since she's a big reason why I eventually warmed up to you. And... maybe some of your jokes are kind of funny."  
Dusty clenched his fist and gave a 'huzzah!' gesture before dropping it back down.

"Wow Samus, I had no idea all dat was runnin' through yo' head all dis time," Malik mused. "You'se a tough lady, but I guess you ain't so tough on da inside, ain't ya?"  
Samus said nothing, but laughed a little.  
Malik then outstretch his big arms. "Aw, c'mon! Bear hug fo' ya!"  
He didn't give her a chance to accept. He quickly wheeled in and hugged her tightly with his good arm.  
Victoria and Dusty both looked at one another again, with loving eyes. If this moment was to be among their last, there was no way they could complain. To die in true happiness, as Dusty had always said, was the best thing God could give you...

When Malik at last released Samus, they were both smiling widely.  
"Thanks Malik. Can't remember the last time I've gotten a hug. At least not since, well..."  
"Look, Samus. I know what yo' about ta say. My advice? Don't think about it no mo'. You've already suffahed more sadness than ya deserve."

A faint rumbling began to sound from outside the ship. All four of them figured the time for the new order to be established had come. They sat in silence for a long time. A long, heartfelt, and scary time. And yet, peaceful and happy, ready for the sweet embrace of death to take them to a better place...  
A long time, they waited...

In fact, it took them a long time to realize that not much seemed to be happening at all.

"Yo, uhh... Wass goin on out dere? Dey come to a truce o' sumthin'?" Malik questioned. He leaned over the controls to see out the windshield at the site of the battle. When he did, his face twisted in confusion. "HUH? What the he-?! _Dey're gone_!!"

"WHAT?!" Samus and Victoria both shouted, running over to the windshield and looking out to see. Indeed, during the time that they believed was their final, joyful moments, something strange had happened. None of them knew what, exactly, but the results still remained. Where Armageddon had been ticking down just moments ago, there was now naught but a single, normal-sized Metroid, drifting motionlessly through space. Samus could tell just by looking that it had died.  
No white lights or red fire swirled in its body anymore.  
Both Seeds... vanished.  
Where had they gone...?

"Well," Dusty coughed. "I guess... the Good Seed... won after all. Hallelujah! _HACK!"_  
"But the Good Seed's gone too..." Victoria pointed out, unsure what that meant.  
"He did... his job. The balance is... equal again. He's no longer... needed..."

Samus gazed out the window in wonder. Old Major had returned to normal upon Squeshy's inhaling of the Evil Seed, and it continued to burn brightly as it used to. Upon closer inspection, she thought she could faintly make out the Orpheon near its surface drifting just as lifelessly as the Metroid. It appeared to be completely scorched and destroyed. Her only guess was that when the Evil Seed expanded, it decided not to spare even Reaper.  
And the Metroid. Squeshy was his name... This had to be the first time it ever made her sad to see a dead Metroid...

"I think Dusty's right," Malik said solemnly. "I think... iss ovah. But WE won! We actually won! YEEEE!!"  
"Damn straight I'm right!" Dusty said. "Now hurry and... get us back to the... GF. I told you, I'm not... dyin' like this. Remember Vicki? You said... I'm honest! I never lie...!"  
"I know, I remember," she told him, a warm smile on her face.  
Samus had to force herself out of the mental dreariness she was in. "Yeah... I say Mission Accomplished, people. Let's head on back now."  
With that, she restarted the Gunship's engine, flipped on the 4D Splitter, changed its coordinates, and flew through the resulting void. Having accomplished such a high-stakes mission, she couldn't help but ponder over what sort of reward she and her partners would receive...

* * *

As Samus and Victoria walked through the halls of the Federation, they were greeted with applause and praise by the masses. It reminded Samus of the first time she cleared Zebes of the Space Pirates and Metroids. For Victoria, though, this much attention was new to her, and in a way was intimidating. At the same time though, she felt very proud.  
The two soon found themselves in a familiar room, and thus were met with a familiar face...  
"Samus! You made it back! We watched the whole thing with long-range cameras! We can't believe you actually pulled it off! Oh man, how can we ever repay you??"  
"Good to see you too, Mr Vapor," Samus replied genuinely.

"So," he said, folding his hands on his desk. "How'd you do it? I mean, Samus, after you retired to your ship for the second time, you musta been hiding some pretty powerful weapons in that hull!"  
"Wait... what? What do you mean?"  
"Don't act like you don't know! I mean, we were all pretty sure the Evil Seed was taking over, but then something just kinda... just kinda FLASHED, and then... and then suddenly it was all just white inside that Metroid. But then the white disappeared, and all that was left was this regular little Metroid. You know what I'm talking about! How'd ya do it? Come on! You can tell me!"  
The two Hunters looked at each other, somewhat perplexed. But Samus eventually answered. "Oh, yeah. That... True, we had an ace up our sleeve."

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter much, since the universe is saved now. But why'd you go and kill the Good Seed, too? So much power... It really could have helped us in our struggle against the Space Pirates. The Evil Seed may be gone, but those Pirates are still out there, and in large numbers."  
"We didn't kill the Seed, sir. It died on its own. It stopped the Apocalypse like it was meant to, and... that was all. It had no other reason to be."  
"But I don't understand. You know, a battle between Good and Evil... If Good wins, doesn't that mean the universe will become an evil-less, prosperous place, or something along those lines?"  
"I'm afraid not, sir. Because, you see, it wasn't a war between Good and Evil. It was a war between Evil and Balance."

"Ah..." Mr Vapor said after a pause. He wasn't entirely sure what to say, though he did look heavily disappointed. "So, umm... where's Malik? And that other guy, Dusty? I was hoping to hear what that loon did to help you, if he helped at all..."  
"Well sir..." Samus reported. "Malik and Dusty are both in the infirmary. Malik injured his arm, but there's no need to worry about him. His arms can take anything. Dusty, though suffered a... very serious injury. The doctors say it could be fatal, though they don't know for certain. But I assure you, sir, he helped very much. We couldn't have done it without him. In fact, he and Malik both did a wonderful job."  
Mr Vapor's eye went wide. "Really? Well, that's a pleasant surprise. Err, not the fact that they're hurt, I mean. I'm not worried about Dusty, though. That crazy guy always manages to pull through."

He then did another sweep of the room, as though noticing another absence. "Now then, where's that Space Pirate you had earlier? That used to have the Seed in him?"  
"Oh, you mean Scythe," Samus responded. "Yeah, about him, sir... He actually had both Seeds in him the entire time."  
"Both? You mean, both the Good and Evil ones??"  
"That's correct, sir."

"That's... unbelievable! How did that happen?"

"I'm afraid none of us really know, sir. I suppose Scythe was just, shall we say, a 'victim of circumstance'. The details don't matter much, though. In the end, he had to go, too..."  
"I see..." Mr Vapor replied, deep in thought.

His blue eyes settled next on Victoria, who still looked as glum and downhearted as he'd always known her. "Hey, Victoria..."  
Victoria parted the dark hair in front of her face to look at him.  
"...is everything alright? You can tell me."  
She clenched her facial features tightly, trying to deter a frightful memory. "Sir, I... I just wanted to say I'm sorry about... what happened..."  
Mr Vapor just laughed. "Oh, about what happened in the broadcast studio? Aw, honey! That's old news! I'm feelin' like a million bucks right now, and it's all thanks to you! I only lost a couple pints of blood. I'll live!"  
The blood comment made her squirm slightly. "Oh, that was just a joke! Really, I'm the one who should be sorry... To make it up to you, I'm letting you take your leave of absence right now to go look for Headshot. Whaddya say we start getting you ready, huh?"  
Samus exchanged a worried glance and turned to Victoria. She swallowed heavily, and after a brief pause, shook her head. "No sir, it's fine. I... I already found him."

Mr Vapor stared in wonder for a long time. "You... I'm sorry, you say you already found Headshot?"  
"Yes..." she replied lowly. "And I'm sorry to tell you this, sir but... he's gone, too."  
"Ohhh..." he moaned sadly, sitting back in his chair. "...Um, if you don't mind me asking, though, how did you know him?"  
"He was my dad."  
"Oh my goodness. I... I am so sorry."  
"It's OK," she assured him. And she said nothing more.  
"Well," Mr Vapor replied, taking a deep breath. "Headshot... Makarus... He was a great man. Great Bounty Hunter. Let's hope he's gone to a better place than here..."

He looked at Victoria again. "Oh hey. I almost forgot." He reached into his breast pocket, and pulled out her Chozo medal, the very same one he awarded her many days ago. "They said they found it with me. Am I right in assuming it's yours?"  
Victoria nodded.  
"Well, you deserve it now more than ever. Here, take it. It's yours."  
This time, however, Victoria shook her head. "No sir, I don't want it..."  
"What? But why not? Oh, I mean, umm... If it's a bigger medal you want, I can give you one. I was actually planning on-"  
"No sir, it's not that. It's just, I... I don't plan on being a Bounty Hunter any longer."

Mr Vapor looked as though he'd just lost a dream. "...Is that so?"  
"It is, sir. I'm very sorry. I've just decided it's just not what I want to do with my life..."  
"...Well, I suppose the choice is yours to make, Victoria. It was an honor to have been your boss, even for so short a time."  
"I appreciate it, sir. Thank you."  
Mr Vapor smiled and nodded right back, and slipped the medal into his breast pocket. "Say, Victoria? Would you mind letting me speak with Samus alone for a little bit? Afterwards, we'll talk about your abdication."  
Victoria nodded and turned to walk out the door, but not before giving Samus a grateful look.

When she walked out, Mr Vapor sat forward again. "So Samus, how was your first time, uhh, working with peers? First word that comes to your mind. What is it?"  
"Hmm... frustrating," Samus answered, placing her hands on her hips.  
"Ah, I see. Listen, I'll understand if you resent me for the rest of my free life for this, but just know that hopefully this will be a one-time thing..."  
"Let's hope so," Samus said with a sigh. "It can really be hard when I have to worry..."  
"OK then. I was just curious. There are still a lot of evils out there. I'll be sure to send you after them all by_ yourself _from now on. How's that?"  
Samus nodded in approval. "Sounds perfect."  
"OK," Mr Vapor added with a smile. "I'll be heading over to the infirmary in a bit to check up on Malik and Dusty."  
"Great. I'll see you there. Good-bye, sir."  
"Huh? You're going to-? But wait. I thought you-"

But before he could finish, Samus had already walked out of the office and shut the door behind her...


	8. Epilogue

_..._

_.._

_._

_Space, the eternal frontier..._

_There are homes within colonies,  
colonies within nations,  
nations within planets,  
planets within spatial regions,  
and spatial regions within the universe.  
That is where the cycle ends..._

_My journey these past few days has been an enlightening one to say the least. In fact, to say that my perspective of the world I live in now is quite a bit different now than it used to be would be a gross understatement. It has penetrated to my core, and drastically altered many of the beliefs I have carried my entire life. Ideas that were once distant memories are now startling truths. My eternal feelings of sorrow are now true to my vision as mere guides as opposed to the driving forces I viewed them as in the past. What it is exactly that has brought on these new ways of thinking and living is still a mystery to me, but I suppose it's not really of any importance. For you see, contrary to how I've felt after completing missions in the past, I do not feel as though I've grown into a better Bounty Hunter. For once, I feel I've grown into a better person. A more worthwhile human being. It's a feeling I very much enjoy, and I hope it persists._

_After this latest mission of mine, the universe seems like almost the exact same place as it once was. It's not a glorious thing, as there are still new problems that spring up all the time, but it's certainly better than the alternative that could have been. Besides, perhaps it's best this way. Balance... Without awful things to plague our universe (Space Pirates, taxes, and Microsoft come to mind), the things that bring us joy would not be held so dear. A pessimist might argue that they might not even bring any joy at all. God understands this, and that is why he made his Seed's only goal to snap the balance right back when it began to shift. It is why he allows the Devil to live. His idea of perfection, as far as I'm concerned, is, well... perfect!  
A large reason for my change of spirit, I'm sure, is the bond I have established with my ex-partners, Malik, Dusty, and Victoria. As a matter of fact, I am not ashamed to simply call them my friends. By the way, I say 'ex'-partners because, as you may have guessed, none of the three are Bounty Hunters anymore. I have gone back to working solo. It's nice to be a lone warrior again, though I had never before realized the benefits of working with others. There's the obvious benefit of having back-up when things become hectic, but most surprising to me is how much I sometimes wish someone could be there to just talk to when things become quiet._

_  
Malik's arm was mended back to full health, but the injury had really brought back his memories of the war and that horrible day when his legs were lost in battle. It troubled him so much that he began to have heated arguments with himself about whether or not he should continue to uphold the law and fight justice. Victoria and I eventually convinced him to quit his job as a Bounty Hunter and consider traveling to another sector to find a more peaceful job. Victoria also recommended that, despite his past failed relationships, maybe romance was something his life was missing. He was hesitant, for fighting had been the only thing he ever excelled at, but it wasn't long before he took our advice. He has moved to a faraway sector, the name of which I can't remember, and I haven't heard from him since. Wherever he is and whatever he's doing, I just hope he is content. He has taught me that it is not what you lack, but what you have in comparison to what you lack, that makes you who you are. It would be unfair to refer to him only as 'the man with no legs'. He possesses a genuinely kind spirit and a tremendous amount of courage. Therefore, the only appropriate title for him, as I see it, would be 'a great man'. Oh, and a little off the main drag, but I recently found out his last name is Lyocanthus. It's a strange last name for a man of his heritage, but it has a nice ring to it._

_As for Dusty... I'm sorry to say, he was unable to keep his promise to Victoria. His final moments were happy, I assure you, and he's gone now to a better place...  
No, I'm only joking! His wound healed perfectly after a long recovery, and he's back on his feet. And best of all, he hasn't changed a single bit. In fact, he and Victoria are currently in the 'dating' phase. Whether they'll stay together for the long-term or not is unknown at this time, but it's difficult to imagine them not being close for the rest of their lives. For example, I was letting Victoria take a shower in my Gunship's bathroom, and Dusty somehow snuck onboard and was peeping through at her via a hole in the wall that I never noticed before. Needless to say, he got caught. She was pretty angry at first, but she forgave him almost instantly. He promised never to do such a thing again, which surprisingly, is a promise that he's kept. Victoria was right about him - as big a mouth as he has, he never says anything unless he is absolutely sure it's true. It's a trait he has that I can only respect. By the way, did I mention that he quit being a Bounty Hunter to take up a job in GF Intelligence? If you were to ask me, I'd say it was very ironic, but of course, I would only be joking. He's a very smart man. His humor annoys me still, but I only see him sometimes at the Federation when he has to pass me new information. Being with him ALL the time would drive me insane, but meeting him on occasion like I do now is always pleasant and surprising. I, too, have noticed myself making many more jokes these days, no doubt thanks to Dusty. In fact, I made two jokes in this last paragraph alone! Oh, and I apologize if that first one was a bit cruel. I, too, would be sad to see him go, and am happy that he hasn't._

_Victoria Matamales... Her first name, she claims, means 'victory' and her last name means 'killer of evils' in some strange, dead language. I have no real comment on this, so I'll leave you to decide whether this is a fitting title for her. In any case, she and I have become very close. While she's no longer a Bounty Hunter, and instead works as Mr Vapor's personal assistant and cook (yes, she's an excellent cook, which is surprising), we still meet at the Burger Geemer and chat all the time about work and life. Dusty joins sometimes, but there are things only women are meant to discuss, I believe, so we occasionally have to kick him out. She still grieves for her family almost constantly, especially her father, but the topic is brought up less frequently every day. It is true that, in the beginning, I looked down to her as simply a lost little girl. I now can see that she has matured into a fine woman. In some ways, it makes me feel proud, yet also a bit sad as well. Maybe this is how a mother feels? Hmm... No, more like a big sister, perhaps. Oh, listen to me ramble..._

_And as for me? As I deliver this message, I am currently on my way to a place I've only recently revisited.  
Earth, my home... The birthplace of me and my sorrow. To land on its surface after 24 years, only to have to leave it for the second time, is the very essence of heartbreak. I'm grateful that Mr Vapor gave me the opportunity to take some time off to return here._

_As I draw closer to my home of old, I find myself wondering... What is it that I truly hope to find? According to Dusty, the reason God put us here is so that we can discover new things about the universe that previous generations could only dream of, a process that may continue for eternity. If that is true, why do I return to a place that I've already been to in the past, let alone a place that has already had all possible new discoveries exploited and destroyed? I personally believe we are all here to find happiness, but even so, I have a daunting hunch that what I'm looking for on Earth will not bring me much joy. Why, then, does this is feel so right? That this is something that I simply must do...?  
I can see the planet in clear view now, in all its spectacular blue and green glory. The memories of those bittersweet days come rushing back into my heart like a flood..._

_Hopefully, the answer will reach me. Sometime between now and the moment when I actually find what I'm looking for, the answer will come. I know it will.  
May God bless my journey. Now, until the end of my life, and ever after...  
And may the Devil, too, continue to keep Space Pirates, Metroids, and other such problems in the universe to keep life interesting, entertaining, and worthwhile..._

_Planet Earth draws near. Heat shields active. Passage through atmosphere imminent. Landing gear in top form, and ready..._

_And my true journey through the eternal frontier...  
Starts here..._

_**/\THE END/\**_


End file.
